Radiant Dawn and the Pegasus Plot
by SurferSquid
Summary: Now an alicorn ruling over the kingdom of Daybreak, Princess Radiant Dawn finds new challenges in trying to help an old foe from the past, as well as sort through a tangle of pegasus political intrigue alongside a stallion general with a chip on his shoulder.
1. Chapter 1

Most ponies don't really think of alicorns as ever having bad days, but today Princess Radiant Dawn was having a real doozy.

First off, she'd stubbed her hoof on the bedpost getting out of bed. Then she nearly tripped and fell down the stairs, but remembered at the last moment that she had wings. Then she got frustrated with herself because Princess Celestia had made the unicorn an alicorn nearly three centuries ago, and yet Radiant Dawn _still_ forgot she had wings sometimes.

By the time she got down to the kitchen of Daybreak Castle and discovered there was just enough of her favorite oat-crunch cereal for exactly two spoonfuls of breakfast, Radiant Dawn was about ready to cry.

As the powder-blue alicorn with deep blue eyes trudged to her study, a few of her castle staff gave her sympathetic glances when they saw she was clearly feeling down, but that was all they had to offer her before they bustled off to do some cleaning or bureaucratic work.

 _Why doesn't anypony just talk to me,_ Radiant Dawn wondered. Her ears were flat, her head hung, and her wavy mane and tail, pink with yellow streaks, dragged on the floor as she magically opened the door to her study. She knew they weren't doing it to be rude, but as she flopped down on the large cushion at her low desk, she wondered if maybe she had the opposite problem. Over the centuries, she noticed that most ponies did not really know how to approach royalty. Some of them acted like she was going to blast them with magic on the spot, which she felt was quite undeserved as she tried her hardest to rule the kingdom of Daybreak with kindness and fairness.

She levitated a quill from its holder and began absently rustling through its barbs with her magic. Sometimes ponies acted like she thought she was better than them, which also wasn't true at all. For the most part, though, the ponies in her kingdom were cordial, but—well, distant. Like she didn't belong with them and they knew it.

Was it because she lived in a palace? Radiant Dawn looked around at her comfortable study, filled with cushions and books and a tall set of windows that led to one of the garden terraces. It sort of came with the job. When she and her allies had ousted a malicious lamia queen from the throne all those moons ago, nopony else was living here and Radiant Dawn thought she might as well go for it, being the new ruler and all. She had spent years heading the restoration of the ancient castle, carefully renovating the soaring building until it was just to her liking. Now she was beginning to wonder if it literally put her in an ivory tower, separated from her subjects below.

But she had _tried_ to maintain connections with them, she thought, rolling over on the cushion. She tried her very hardest, but over the years everypony just sort of drifted away from her. Her nieces and nephews grew up and had families of their own and were much too busy for Aunt Radiant Dawn, and so it went down the generations. The original group of ponies that she had led out of exile to retake the kingdom had liked to consider themselves her friends, but the truth was that they all had families and lives of their own that they were eager to return to. She had gotten the occasional brief letter from them, or sometimes an invitation to oversee a formal occasion, but nopony ever wanted to just—hang out. The events that brought them together didn't seem to have formed a lasting enough bond.

And even the foals from the last class she taught before her coronation had not remained in touch with her. For a few brief, wonderful years they still adored her as their former schoolteacher, but then they grew older and began pursuing various interests, and as they matured to adulthood other life events got in the way. One by one, she had to say goodbye to them as they went off to walk their own paths.

At first, Radiant Dawn had been despondent. For a few decades, she was so desperate for any sort of friendship that she would form attachments to any pony who showed an interest in her. Then she learned that they didn't really care about her, just about her position and the clout it gave them to be associated with her. So she cast away all of those "friendships", and since then she had been much more guarded.

Radiant Dawn flopped over and ran a hoof back and forth on the stone floor. Had she become _too_ guarded? She tried her hardest to remain kind and friendly and polite, waiting for somepony she could open up to, but it seemed like everypony else had no interest in her.

Somepony knocked on the open door to her study, and a cream-colored unicorn with a crimson mane and tail came in carrying a hefty stack of papers. "The day's paperwork, Your Highness," she said, setting it down on the desk and magically adjusting her spectacles.

Radiant Dawn stared at the epic's worth of documents and once again felt the urge to cry. But it simply wouldn't do to show such weakness in front of a pony who didn't know her that well. Instead, she nodded numbly. "Thank you, Red Tape."

"Of course, Your Highness," the unicorn said, turning to leave.

Radiant Dawn decided to take a flying leap. "Um—Red Tape?" she asked. "Are you… doing anything after work?"

Red Tape paused and looked over her shoulder. "Yes, I'm going out to dinner with my husband and foals! It's our family tradition to eat out on Wednesdays—we call it the 'over-the-hump special'!" She saw the disappointment on the princess's muzzle and gave her a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry. Maybe somepony else doesn't have plans."

"That's all right," Radiant Dawn said, pouring every ounce of willpower into trying to look as happy for Red Tape as possible. "Have a wonderful time."

"I will, thank you!" Red Tape said as she disappeared into the hall.

Radiant Dawn sunk her head into the cushion and cried. Everypony else here had company to enjoy. Even the ponies who didn't have a spouse or foals had extended family and close friends. Radiant Dawn had paperwork.

 _Nopony cares that I'm crying alone,_ she thought. _Nopony thinks to stay and talk to me for more than two seconds. Nopony wants me in their life. I may be an immortal alicorn princess, but I'm still a living, feeling being._

After she had had a good cry, Radiant Dawn figured that if nopony was going to help cheer her up, she would just have to do so herself. Shakily, she pushed herself to her hooves and moved to the window. She had all day to do that paperwork—first she needed to fill herself up a bit.

She magically opened the window and stepped out into the garden, breathed in the sweet, clean air, and looked up at the vast blue sky with its majestic cloud formations, and already she started to feel better. At least she had the sky. It was strange to think she was the only pony around now who remembered a very different sky, one darkened by eternal smog from factories where ponies were forced to work.

But Queen Tanith was just an unfortunate side note in the past of Daybreak now. Radiant Dawn moved to the outer wall and looked over the parapet at the town sprawled below her. No more grimy factories or cold apartment blocks crowded the streets. Now Daybreak was full of light and life and ponies doing what they loved best. Everypony was happy.

Almost everypony. That thought slammed into Radiant Dawn and she swallowed hard, turning back to the garden. A team of horticulturist ponies took great pride and enjoyment in tending to the palace gardens, making them a place of lush beauty where flowers bloomed and fountains babbled, and any creature that found its way inside had sanctuary. Including alicorns.

Radiant Dawn wandered over to a lilac tree and sat beneath its boughs, which sagged with blooms like thick dabs of purple paint. Birds played among the branches, and Radiant Dawn sat down to watch them. "Everypony's happy," she said, "except me." She looked down at her cutie mark, shaped like a rising sun casting its rays of goodness and hope wherever she went. "I'm the Princess of Happiness—but I'm not happy."

"What troubles you, Radiant Dawn?" asked a familiar voice, kind and warm like the sun.

Radiant Dawn looked behind her, and immediately leaped to her hooves to bow low. "Princess Celestia!" she said to the tall white alicorn who alit before her. "To what do I owe this visit?"

The supreme ruler of Equestria nodded in greeting. "The matter is not altogether that urgent," she said, folding her wings to her sides. "You seem as though you need somepony to talk to. What's on your mind?"

If there was anypony in this confusing world that Radiant Dawn felt she could talk to, it was Celestia. "I'm lonely," she blurted out. "I've been lonely for so long—I've always been lonely! I just—I'm so tired of it, Your Highness!"

An encouraging look from Celestia urged Radiant Dawn to continue. The blue alicorn began to pace beneath the tree. "Everypony else has somepony, and I don't!" she said. "I'm always by myself and nopony else understands! It—it's the worst!" Her lip quivered. "I've been trying my hardest ever since my coronation—no, ever since I was _born_ , and I feel like I just give and give and I've never gotten back what I want—what I _need!_ "

"What do you need, Princess Radiant Dawn?" Celestia asked.

Ears drooping, Radiant Dawn looked up at her pleadingly, wishing there was some kind of magic spell that would instantly fix this. "I need a family," she whispered hoarsely.

For a long moment, Celestia stared at her, and Radiant Dawn saw something in the white alicorn's eyes that she didn't think she'd ever seen before: sadness.

"Oh, Radiant Dawn," Celestia said, wrapping a wing around her shoulders. "I'm so sorry. What you're going through is heartbreaking. If it were up to me, nopony would ever be lonely like this. This is one of the hardest battles you will ever face—believe me."

The emotion with which she said it made Radiant Dawn forget about her own problems. "Princess Celestia… are you lonely, too?" she asked. It had never occurred to her that the ruler of all Equestria could ever struggle with such a petty-seeming problem as loneliness—but then Radiant Dawn realized that Celestia probably dealt with many of the same kinds of reactions from her subjects as the princess of Daybreak did.

Celestia pulled away to look up at the sky, and nodded. "I know what it is like not to have a family. I miss Princess Luna dearly." She closed her eyes. "It pains me greatly that most ponies nowadays only remember her as Nightmare Moon. Before that unfortunate choice, my sister was a valiant leader who helped me fight to protect our subjects when the need arose. How quickly ponies forget—!" She frowned, but took a deep breath and let the moment of frustration fade.

"I'm so sorry," Radiant Dawn said. "I had no idea—and I'm sorry I had no idea. I suppose nopony else ever stops to consider your feelings, either." She took a deep breath. "I could be your sister! You've given so much to me—I want to give back!"

With a sad smile, Celestia turned to the younger alicorn. "Thank you for the offer, but I am afraid I must decline. I have many duties to attend to in Canterlot, as do you here in Daybreak, and it would be unfair for either one of us to ask the other to spend so much time away from her subjects."

Radiant Dawn nodded. "I understand. That's all right." Having even Princess Celestia decline an offer of friendship made her sad all over again, but the princess had a way of wording things that helped Radiant Dawn see the sense in it.

"I am sorry that this is your struggle, Radiant Dawn," Celestia said. "Being a ruler is difficult in many ways. This is just one of them." She paused, and her smile grew a little brighter. "But do not give up. Someday you will find a family that's just right for you. There's somepony out there who's waiting for you, too."

"Thank you," Radiant Dawn said. She couldn't help but feel better after that. Princess Celestia had a way with words that could fill a pony with the greatest sense of peace and strength. Radiant Dawn hoped to be able to emulate that as much as possible. "I'm not feeling so upset now… just being able to talk to somepony about it helps a lot."

But now she was less concerned with her own sadness and more with Celestia's. "Do you think you'll ever see Princess Luna again?" Radiant Dawn asked.

Celestia's eyes returned to the sky, and Radiant Dawn realized that every time the alicorn raised the moon, she had to be reminded of her own exiled sister. "I think I shall," she said. "Although whether she will be happy to see me, I cannot say." Her magenta eyes watered. "Banishing her was the hardest thing I ever had to do."

Radiant Dawn's heart went out to the princess. "I'm sure she still loves you," Radiant Dawn said. "She's got to. You're her sister. This won't last forever, for either of us. We just can't give up."

The white alicorn closed her eyes and smiled. "Thank you, Radiant Dawn… I think so, too. I will not give up hope." She opened her eyes again. "You really are quite good at helping other ponies learn to be happy. Incidentally, that is why I have come here. Somepony needs your help being happy, and I think you are up to the task. It may help with your loneliness as you look after her and help her heal from her past. Can you accept this assignment from me?"

"Of course, Your Highness," Radiant Dawn said. "I am the Princess of Happiness, and I want to help everypony be happy."

"Excellent," Celestia said. Her horn began to glow, and suddenly before them, a portal in the fabric of the universe ripped open. Out poured thick black coils of scales with a purple sheen, dropping limply into the garden. On top of the pile lay a wide cobra's hood, and as Celestia closed the portal, a pair of black hands that ended in talons lifted the hood wearily. Two yellow eyes in a serpentine face scowled down at the ponies, and the creature's forked tongue flicked out of her mouth with a hiss.

Radiant Dawn's ears pinned back and she reared up in alarm. "Queen Tanith?!"


	2. Chapter 2

The massive lamia placed her claws on her coils, propping herself up as she glowered at Radiant Dawn. "It'sss jussst 'Tanith' now," she spat. "Unlessss you've forgotten all about how you ssstole my throne two hundred and fifty years ago."

"It was never yours to begin with," Radiant Dawn said.

The lamia's eyes shifted to the white alicorn. "Celessstia, what is the meaning of thisss?!" Tanith asked. "I told you I wanted to learn about happinessss, not be reunited with an old enemy!"

Celestia stared up at her. "Tanith, Radiant Dawn is the Princess of Happiness," she said. "She is the pony most qualified to teach you about it."

"Celestia?" Radiant Dawn glanced over at the other alicorn. "What's going on?"

Tanith's hood flared. "I've been ssstuck in Tartarusss for two and a half centuries, that'sss what!" she hissed, her tongue flicking. "And now I've been brought to the very pony who ssstruck me down—Celessstia, is thisss your idea of a sssick joke?!"

Radiant Dawn leaned away from her. " _Tanith_ needs my help being happy?" she asked. She didn't understand at all. This was the very creature who had taken the throne from King Early Light, the last pony ruler of Daybreak before Radiant Dawn, and for over two centuries afterward had controlled every pony in the kingdom, forcing them to toil away in factories and teach their foals that there was nothing to look forward to in life but drudgery and misery.

Celestia stepped between them. "Princess Radiant Dawn," she said, "do you trust me?"

Radiant Dawn nodded. "Of course, Your Highness."

"I recently visited Tartarus to check up on its… denizens," Celestia said.

Radiant Dawn shuddered. Long ago, Celestia had taken her on a visit to Tartarus as part of her princess training. It was where the most dangerous and unrepentant threats to Equestria were imprisoned so they could no longer hurt anypony.

There were a few notorious individuals not present—for example, a chaos spirit named Discord could not be contained so easily due to his inherent ability to manipulate reality itself, and Nightmare Moon, being an alicorn, could have used her powerful magic to open a portal out of Tartarus and escape, but other malevolent creatures were not so gifted. Tanith was one of these. Radiant Dawn still remembered how the lamia queen had raged at her as they passed her prison, vowing revenge.

Celestia continued. "As you know, I am willing to release any one of them from Tartarus if they show the desire to reform. On this latest visit, Tanith expressed such a wish to me."

The lamia grumbled and settled back into her coils like they were a fortress shielding her from the rest of the world. "You make me sssound like sssuch a goody-two-hooves," she muttered. "All I sssaid was that I would do anything to get out of that place."

Celestia smiled. "I told you I would release you if you tried to learn to be happy, you agreed, and here we are."

This was all still a little too much for Radiant Dawn to emotionally process. For over two hundred years, she had kept her kingdom peaceful and safe from the likes of Tanith. Now their worst enemy had returned.

Shaking her head, she looked to Celestia. "Your Highness," Radiant Dawn said, "how can we be sure that she'll keep her word?" she asked. "What if she's just using this as an excuse to break free?" She pawed at the lawn with one hoof. "What if she wants Daybreak again?"

The comforting smile remained on the other alicorn's muzzle. "Then she will be up for a surprise if she tries to take it."

Tanith peeked out from behind her coils. "What'sss _that_ sssupposssed to mean?"

Celestia tossed her mane out toward the sprawling city below them. "Your magic has no power here, Tanith. You feed off of despair and sadness. Daybreak is a kingdom of happiness and hope now."

"Ugh… no wonder I feel ssso sssick," Tanith said, flexing her claws.

Celestia turned to the blue alicorn. "Princess Radiant Dawn," she said in a low voice, "if you refuse this assignment, I will have to send Tanith back to Tartarus. There is nopony else who can help her." She looked into Radiant Dawn's eyes. "Would you have me do that to her?"

Radiant Dawn stared back. Celestia's gaze was piercing, penetrating as though she could see a pony's very soul, but at the same time there was such love in her eyes that it was impossible to be afraid of her. Radiant Dawn knew then why Celestia had taken her to see Tartarus way back when. It wasn't just to check off one of her princess duties—it was so Radiant Dawn could see what life in Tartarus was like, how lonely and cold it was, what a nightmare it would be for any creature who managed to think of something other than anger and vengeance.

"No," she said, dropping her head. "I wouldn't wish that on anypony. If she wanted to get out—I think she should get a second chance." Straightening up, she looked back up at Celestia. "And if you think I'm the right pony for the job, then there must be something to it. I won't let you down."

"I know," Celestia said. "You never have, and you never will. Tanith," she said, turning to the lamia. "I will leave you with Radiant Dawn now. Feel free to ask her any questions you may have about happiness. I expect to hear a report from both of you in a month."

"Why a month?" Tanith asked, folding her arms over her coils.

"Because the Grand Galloping Gala is in a month," Celestia said. She grinned down at Radiant Dawn. "I can't help but think perhaps attending more social events might help with your loneliness a bit. Who knows, you could meet a friend or two there."

Radiant Dawn brightened. "Yes, perhaps you're right," she said.

Celestia spread her wings. "Well, then, it's settled. I'll see you both at the Grand Galloping Gala!"

Tanith jerked up into a more alert posture. "What?! Both of usss?!"

"Farewell!" Celestia said as she pushed off from the ground, beating her wings to gain altitude. "Your invitations will be coming in the mail soon!"

And then she floated away into the sky like a shimmering sun, rising above the clouds.

For a long moment, Radiant Dawn just stared up until she couldn't see Celestia anymore. When she said she was lonely, this was not what she had in mind at all.

But, she was determined to do her best with whatever assignment Celestia gave her, because Radiant Dawn knew that Celestia knew what she was doing. So she turned to Tanith. "Well—let's get you a room," the alicorn said. "Do you need something to eat?"

"You don't have to put on an act," Tanith snarled. "I know you hate me."

"I don't hate you," Radiant Dawn said. "I don't like what you did. But I want to see you happy, Tanith. If I didn't, I would have made Celestia send you back to Tartarus."

The lamia paused. "Or perhapsss you jussst didn't want to dissssappoint your preciousss ruler."

Radiant Dawn would not fall into the trap of Tanith's mind games. "Do you really want to learn to be happy, Tanith?" she asked.

Tanith looked aside. "Yesss," she said in a quieter tone. "I haven't been happy in centuries… and look where that got me. I would give anything to ssstop thisss hurting."

Radiant Dawn folded her wings and studied Tanith's face. It had never really occurred to her that the lamia was unhappy. Although Radiant Dawn knew that Tanith derived her magical power from other creatures' misery, Radiant Dawn had always assumed that Tanith enjoyed seeing ponies miserable. But having power and being happy were not the same thing, nor did the former guarantee the latter.

Distant memories bubbled up, of the look on Tanith's face when Radiant Dawn and her allies had come to oust her from the throne. She had not been happy then, either. Radiant Dawn was surprised to see her so suddenly vulnerable, and felt sorry for her despite everything the creature had done.

 _It could be a trap,_ she thought. _She might just be trying to get me to let my guard down._ Radiant Dawn frowned. She had to think more positively than that, and she knew she had to trust Tanith if she ever wanted to gain the lamia's trust in return and succeed in her endeavors. Besides, even if Tanith did turn on her, Radiant Dawn could overpower her magically right now.

She let that thought bolster her confidence as she stepped toward the former queen. "Then I can help you," the alicorn said. "And the first step to that is seeing to your creature comforts. We have plenty of guest rooms in the castle, so you can take your pick of those. I know several that will fit somepony your size. Are you hungry?"

Tanith held her stomach. "You know… while you're in there, you ssstop being hungry. At leassst, I've never noticed it. But now that I'm out… I'm ssstarving." She stared at a bird that had come to roost on a flower bush, her tongue flicking dangerously.

Radiant Dawn grimaced and moved in front of the bush, startling the bird away. "You probably don't eat hay," she said, "but we have plenty of fruits and vegetables that you might enjoy. I'll tell the cooks to get something started for you."

"I sssuppose that will do," Tanith said as the alicorn led her inside.

Radiant Dawn glanced over at her paperwork. It could wait—she had a much bigger problem on her hooves right now. She wasn't sure how she was going to explain this to everypony, so she figured the plain truth would be best. But what if it wasn't? These ponies had learned about Tanith in the history books. What if the lamia's return sent them on a downward spiral of fear and despair—enough for Tanith to gain sufficient power from?

Radiant Dawn cringed as she clopped down the palace hallway. She was the princess of happiness. She had to trust that she had taught her subjects well enough about how to be happy that something like this wouldn't make them crumble. And she definitely trusted Celestia.

"Y-Your Highness? Who's this?"

Radiant Dawn broke out of her thoughts to see Red Tape and a tan earth pony stopped in their tracks, staring at Tanith.

Red Tape magically shuffled her stack of papers and adjusted her spectacles as though she didn't believe what she was seeing. "I'm sorry, Princess," she said, "I didn't know we'd be having a guest."

"She came on short notice," Radiant Dawn said. She took a deep breath. The moment of truth had arrived. "This is Tanith. She'll be staying with us for a while."

For a moment the two other ponies just smiled faintly and nodded politely—and then the name their princess had dropped sunk in.

Red Tape's paperwork fluttered to the floor as she and the other pony took a step back, ears low. "T-Tanith?!" her companion stammered. "Not—not _Queen_ Tanith—?!"

Tanith folded her arms and narrowed her eyes. "No. Not _Queen_ Tanith anymore. Thanksss for the reminder."

Before the other ponies could completely panic, Radiant Dawn said, "She's here by order of Celestia. Tanith wants to be reformed and Celestia thinks I'm the right pony for the job. She will be our guest in the castle." She drew herself up and spread her wings. "You have no reason to fear her anymore. Her intentions are no longer evil, and there is so much happiness and light in this kingdom that her magic is powerless here."

Tanith sighed. "Look, I jussst want sssome lunch, all right?"

The two ponies stared at her for a moment, then looked at their princess, then at each other. Finally, they nodded. "I-if you say so… Tanith," Red Tape said.

"I was just showing her to the kitchens," Radiant Dawn said. She smiled down at her subjects. "Don't worry about it, okay? Everything's going to work out. I promise. She's made some mistakes in the past, but all that's over and done. Now she's getting a fresh start—this should be a happy occasion. In fact, can we have a feast tonight to celebrate?"

The other ponies stared at her like she was crazy. "Celebrate… what, exactly?" the earth pony asked. "The return of a tyrant?"

Radiant Dawn shook her head. "A new beginning. Just think if you were in her position. How would you feel?"

He pondered this for a moment. "If you think it's best, Princess," he said with a sigh. "I'll alert the staff and we'll start making preparations."

"Thank you, Majordomo," Radiant Dawn said.

As Majordomo went his way, Red Tape levitated her paperwork from the floor and began putting it back in order. "And I'll make sure there aren't any schedule conflicts," she said. "Although I don't believe you have anywhere to be for the foreseeable future."

"I don't think so, either," Radiant Dawn said. "Wait—could you pencil me in for the Grand Galloping Gala in a month? Celestia invited me."

"Certainly," Red Tape said, magically flourishing a quill as she sorted through her stack for the paper she was looking for. "Ooh, I hope you have fun, Your Highness," she said with a smile. "That's quite the exclusive event."

Radiant Dawn smiled back. "True, but non-exclusive events can be fun, too. I always enjoy the parties and balls we hold in Daybreak." Even if she ended up in a corner with barely anypony talking to her, she did truly enjoy watching everypony else have fun. She just wished she had somepony to go to these sorts of things with, who she could enjoy spending time with and who actually wanted to spend time with her. She was still not sure Tanith was going to be the most pleasant creature to accompany to the Gala.

"Ponies here definitely know how to party," Red Tape said with a chuckle. It faded somewhat when she glanced back up at Tanith, and she cleared her throat before looking back to her papers. "Well—is there anything else I can do for… you two?"

"Not at the moment," Radiant Dawn said. "Thank you, Red Tape."

"Always a pleasure, Princess," Red Tape said. The two parties went their separate directions, although Red Tape glanced over her shoulder at Tanith nervously.

As they moved through the castle, other ponies stopped and stared as well. They had never seen a lamia before, Radiant Dawn knew. Learning about a creature named Tanith who used to rule their kingdom did not mean they would recognize her on sight. Radiant Dawn was honest with them, telling them who Tanith was, but also that she was here to reform, and to treat her with kindness instead of fear and suspicion.

At first she was worried that this wouldn't be enough, but her subjects seemed at least willing to give Tanith the benefit of the doubt. Although they still did not seem happy with the prospect, they agreed to try to put the past behind them and see her as a guest trying to make a new start. They were good-hearted ponies, Radiant Dawn knew, and she had done her very best to teach them to be compassionate and quick to forgive.

Tanith frowned as her long body coursed through the halls alongside the alicorn. "Trying to keep up their ssspiritsss ssso I remain powerlessss?" she muttered.

Radiant Dawn clopped down a stairway. "First happiness lesson," she said, "assume good faith. If you go your whole life never trusting anypony, you're going to become a paranoid wreck. Nopony can handle everything on their own. You have to trust that others have your best interests at heart."

"Right," Tanith said, her sinuous tail dropping down the steps behind her, "which is why Celessstia sssent me to a place where my magic doesn't work."

"We can't help that," Radiant Dawn said. "I don't know why lamia magic feeds on fear and despair."

"It'sss a hunting tactic," Tanith said, examining her claws. "Lamia tribes live in the wildernessss and hunt for their food."

Word spread fast in the castle, and by the time they reached the floor the kitchens were on, ponies no longer looked so surprised to see Tanith. Rather they looked to Radiant Dawn for words of reassurance, or just whispered to each other while watching the lamia pass.

"At any rate," Tanith said, "I am not a paranoid wreck."

 _You sort of are,_ Radiant Dawn thought, and she was glad lamiae couldn't read minds on top of everything else. "Okay," she said, "happiness lesson number two – which probably should have been number one – is to let go of your pride. If you don't recognize your weaknesses, you'll never be able to improve them—and being prideful makes it a lot harder for other creatures to want to be around you. Having good relationships is an important part of being happy, too."

Tanith looked aside. "Don't remind me," she said in a quieter, shakier tone.

As they entered the kitchens, Radiant Dawn realized she had struck a raw nerve, and also came to the realization that maybe, in order to help Tanith learn to be happy, she had to learn what had caused Tanith to be so miserable in the first place. Perhaps something could have happened to make her bitter and distrustful, and it wasn't just an inherent lamia thing.

Radiant Dawn went into the larders and levitated out a massive floating blob of fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and even a few desserts. They didn't have meat, which Radiant Dawn suspected was Tanith's food of choice, but the lamia would just have to make do.

"Let's get you a private dining room," Radiant Dawn said, "away from… prying eyes." She shot a look at the kitchen ponies and the small group that had gathered to watch the newcomer, which was enough to shoo them back to their jobs.

She led Tanith to a hall that was meant for a smaller setting than a grand banquet, but still had enough space for the lamia. Placing the mound of food on the table, Radiant Dawn levitated a chair away from one end of the table so Tanith could coil herself there, and sat in one of the other chairs.

Tanith lifted herself toward the food, tongue flicking so she could smell it. Tentatively, she grabbed a few apples, flipped her tongue across them, and then bit into one. "Not poisoned," she concluded, and then she began to eat.

Radiant Dawn watched her for a moment. "Tanith," she said quietly, "why are you unhappy? What happened to make you like this?"

Tanith paused with a mouthful of cheese and looked over at the alicorn. She swallowed the hunk whole and dusted off her hands, sitting back on her coils and staring at the other end of the room. "Why should I tell you…" she muttered.

"Because I think it will help," Radiant Dawn said. "I need to get to the root of the problem before I can solve it."

Tanith's eyes scanned the wall. "Long ago," she said, "far before I took over Daybreak… I fell in love with a male lamia, the prince of my tribe. I… don't think he even noticed me, but I was a ssskilled hunter and I hoped that sssomeday my prowessss would impressss him." She frowned. "One day… he was captured by an enemy tribe, one larger and ssstronger than oursss. Nopony elssse had the nerve to go after him… except me. I would have done anything to sssee him sssafe."

She clenched her fists. "I knew the risssksss… but I didn't care. I would gladly have thrown my life away if it meant his sssafe return to our people. Using all of my magic and my might, I fought my way through the enemy camp and ressscued him, and brought him back to his mother."

Radiant Dawn's eyes widened. "Tanith, that's… incredible," she said. "I'm so proud of you." It was utterly bizarre to think that a creature who had been such a villain to ponies had once been a selfless hero among her own race. What had changed?

Tanith's gaze drooped. "He wasn't proud of me," she whispered. "He didn't even care that I had sssaved him. I told him I loved him—and he sssaid he didn't feel the sssame way about me." She turned away from the alicorn. "He married another female, one he thought was prettier."

"Oh, Tanith…" Radiant Dawn said. "I'm so sorry." Her heart went out to the lamia. As strange as it seemed, Radiant Dawn felt like she could sympathize a little. It sounded like both of them had struggles with finding families.

Tanith paused. "I was furiousss," she said in a low voice. Reaching out, she grabbed an orange in one hand and squeezed it until the skin cracked and the juices burst out. "I couldn't hate him, but I hated myssself for being so idealissstic and naïve and idiotic. I guessss… that was when I decided happinessss was jussst one big joke. There was no point in pursssuing it because it jussst ended in misery…"

She threw the entire crushed orange into her maw and swallowed it. "Ssso I decided if I couldn't be happy, I might as well be powerful. When I came acrossss Daybreak and sssaw how happy its inhabitants were… I wanted to teach them how wrong they were. I wanted to rule over my own kingdom where everypony knew the truth about happinessss."

"I see," Radiant Dawn said. "That really explains a lot."

Tanith nodded silently. "It'ssss been centuries…" she said. "I'm tired of being miserable. I would do anything to essscape thisss agony." She looked over at the alicorn. "Ssso… make me happy," she said.

Radiant Dawn smiled. "That's just what I aim to do," she said. "As soon as we've got you fed, we can start talking things out and I can teach you how to—"

"Oh, never mind that," Tanith said. "Just wave your horn and make me happy."

Radiant Dawn raised an eyebrow. "What?"

The lamia flipped a hand. "You know—you're the Princessss of Happinessss. You should be able to do that. Right?"

"It… doesn't really work like that," Radiant Dawn said.

Tanith's eyes narrowed. "It doesn't?"

Radiant Dawn clopped her front hooves together sheepishly. "I can't use magic to automatically make others happy… that would take away their free will and it wouldn't really solve the problem at all. It's something everypony needs to learn for themselves. I can help you see things more positively and aid in healing your heart… but it's up to you to accept it."

Tanith stared at her for a moment, then scowled and coiled up. "I knew thisss was hopelessss," she hissed.

Radiant Dawn sat up straighter. "It's not," she said. "I'm really sorry about what happened to you, Tanith, but you can't let it destroy you. You're better than that. You're a warrior, so don't give up—please. Let me try to help you."

She got out of the chair and approached the lamia. "You've been miserable for so long," the alicorn said. "But it doesn't have to be that way. Celestia believes in you, and I believe in you. You can do this."

Tanith's lips thinned. For a moment her coils wound more tightly around herself—and then she rubbed her face with one hand and looked over at the princess. "I guessss it'sss either thisss or Tartarusss again," Tanith muttered. "I need your help, Radiant Dawn. Don't give up on me."

"I won't," Radiant Dawn found herself saying. Inside, she was wondering what in the world she was going to do about this. She did feel bad for Tanith and wanted to help her, but in the back of her mind was a fear that wouldn't go away. What if she messed up and just made things worse? For centuries she had helped others be happy, but what if helping a lamia was just out of her league?

But the look on Tanith's face made Radiant Dawn want to try. And if Celestia believed she could do it, Radiant Dawn wanted to believe as well.


	3. Chapter 3

"Ssso what, exactly, do you do as Princessss of Happinessss?" Tanith asked as she slithered down a street in Daybreak.

It had been a week since the lamia returned to the kingdom, and Radiant Dawn had been hard at work trying to help her feel comfortable in the castle and ease into a peaceful coexistence with ponies. Her subjects had been understandably nervous, but it seemed as though everypony was gradually warming up to the idea of their historical oppressor getting happiness lessons from their princess.

Now Radiant Dawn was taking Tanith on a tour of Daybreak, hoping that the happy lifestyles the lamia saw would inspire her to do something with her life other than stew over a lost love and hunger for power.

"I mean, Celessstia raises the sssun and the moon," Tanith continued as they passed shops and businesses. "And Mi Amore Cadenza uses her magic to ssspread love. I haven't ssseen you do anything like that."

The streets were colorful and lively, the architecture beautiful, and every avenue was lined with trees and flowers. Ponies everywhere laughed, played, and enjoyed their work. It was a far cry from the drab factories and apartment blocks that had filled the city under Tanith's rule. Radiant Dawn still remembered those, and she was glad she was the only pony here who did. She wondered what Tanith thought of how the alicorn had transformed her kingdom, but she could discern no emotion on the lamia's face aside from curiosity.

"My duty is to spread happiness," Radiant Dawn said, waving at a few ponies as they passed by, "but I go about it in a slightly different way than Princess Cadance spreads love. Daybreak is a special place where ponies hone the art of happiness and then spread it across Equestria. For some, that means creating beautiful and happy things to export. Others learn the art of happiness as foals, and when they grow up, they move to other places and bring that happiness with them, touching the lives of everypony around them."

With a hoof, she pointed to a bright yellow earth pony with a choppy rainbow-striped mane, who was hoisting a piñata into the air for foals to hit. "Viva Fiesta comes from a long line of party ponies," Radiant Dawn said with a grin. "Do you remember Birthday Bash? The stallion with the wild, curly pink mane? This is one of his something-great grandfillies. His whole family have become party legends." She paused. "Well, there was this one filly about a hundred years ago who moved somewhere out east to start rock farming… but if that's what made her happy, then I'm sure it's benefited somepony."

"Ssso you don't actually do anything," Tanith said, folding her arms as her belly scales coursed across the dirt roads. "You just sssit in your palace and watch everypony elssse cavort around."

Radiant Dawn tried not to grimace. Tanith had a biting remark for just about everything, and it was a habit the alicorn wished the lamia would kick. "I prefer to influence my subjects in quieter ways," Radiant Dawn said. "I find that it's best if I lead by example… not force other ponies to do things." She glanced over at Tanith to see if the lamia got the hint.

Tanith just shrugged. "I jussst don't underssstand how everypony here can be ssso unnaturally happy," she said.

"Maybe it's not unnatural," Radiant Dawn said. She wasn't sure how long it was going to take to convince Tanith that life wasn't all gloom and doom. It didn't seem to be working so far.

She led Tanith to a bakery and held the door open so the lamia could squeeze herself inside. While the castle was plenty big enough for a creature as large as Tanith, regular pony buildings proved to be a little more difficult. Thankfully, Tanith was also long and sinuous, and she could fit herself inside small places if she tried.

"Good morning, Éclair!" Radiant Dawn said to a cream-colored earth pony whose mane and tail were tan with dark brown stripes. "Your donuts smell delicious as always!"

Éclair set down the tray of pastries she was carrying in her mouth. "Why, thank you, Princess!" she said. "It's so nice to see you again! And your… ahem… guest," she added, eying Tanith worriedly.

"Your family's donuts are legendary," Radiant Dawn said, sitting at one of the tables and gesturing for Tanith to do the same. "I just had to take Tanith here so she could try them."

"I don't have much of a sweet tooth," Tanith grumbled.

"You never know," Radiant Dawn said, "you might like these donuts! There's happiness baked into every bite!"

Another earth pony, reddish-brown with a caramel-colored mane and tail, trotted in from the kitchen. "Oh, you're too kind, Your Highness!" he said, checking on the rows of donuts in the display case.

"Long John, could you get started on another batch of jelly donuts?" Éclair asked him.

"Sure thing, sugarcube!" Long John said.

"What do you recommend today, Éclair?" Radiant Dawn asked.

The mare tapped a hoof on the tray she had been carrying. "Well, these bear paws are fresh out of the oven! Nice and warm, with plenty of apple-cinnamon filling!"

"Let's give those a try!" the princess said, levitating a few bits out of her saddlebag and floating them over to the counter.

Éclair placed the donuts on the table and gave Tanith a nervous smile. The lamia glared down at her.

Radiant Dawn took a bite of her donut. "Oh, this is fantastic!" she said. "Éclair, you and your husband are extraordinary bakers!"

The earth pony blushed and scratched her foreleg. "Just doing what we love, Princess."

"Tanith," Radiant Dawn said, "why don't you try? It, um... it's only polite," she added. Even if the lamia hated sweet foods, Radiant Dawn felt that it would be rude to turn down something made with such joy without even trying it first.

Tanith picked up the warm, sticky donut and inspected it with a frown, flicking her tongue out at it. For a moment she looked as if she was going to take a bite—and then she set it back on the plate. "I jussst don't sssee the point," she said, sitting back on her coils. "How is thisss going to make me happy, Radiant Dawn?"

The princess gave Éclair an apologetic glance before looking back to the lamia. "Well—because doing good things makes you happy," Radiant Dawn said.

"It can't be that sssimple," Tanith said. "I don't ssseee how that'sss going to work."

"Well—maybe it _is_ that simple," Radiant Dawn said. "You've just… got to give it a chance, Tanith."

The lamia scowled. "It won't work!" she said. She rose up from her coils and slithered to the door. "I'm tired of thisss—let'sss go back to the cassstle. There's too much light and—and love here."

"It's not your fault," Radiant Dawn said to Éclair, patting the earth pony on her shoulder. She looked over at Long John, who had come out of the kitchen to see what the matter was. "She struggles with a lot."

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Éclair asked.

"Just keep being your happy selves," Radiant Dawn said. It helped in more ways than one—they had to set a good example for Tanith, and they also had to make sure the lamia could not feed on their misery and grow more powerful. Although from what Radiant Dawn had seen this past week, Tanith no longer seemed bent on control. But how was Radiant Dawn supposed to help her if Tanith couldn't believe in her methods?

The alicorn sighed. "I guess we're going back to the castle," she said. "But—could you box up those bear paws? I think I'll snack on them after dinner." She grinned.

"Of course!" Éclair said. "I'll throw in a few rainbow sprinkle donuts, on the house."

"Maybe that will help Tanith feel better," Long John said as he extracted the bonus donuts from the display shelf. "Nopony can stay sad in the face of rainbow sprinkles!"

Radiant Dawn laughed. "I sure hope not."

Outside, she quickly caught up with Tanith, who was coursing down the street, head hung low. "Tanith, what's the matter?" Radiant Dawn asked as she trotted next to the lamia. "I know learning to be happy is hard—but sometimes you have to start small, counterintuitive as it seems."

"I'm tired of your happinessss lectures," Tanith said.

"Did something upset you back there?" Radiant Dawn asked. "You didn't have to eat the donut if you didn't want—but it didn't seem like you had any reason for not wanting to except that you thought it was a stupid idea." It was odd, Radiant Dawn thought, that even though Tanith was older than even the alicorn herself, the lamia still acted like a foal sometimes.

Tanith narrowed her eyes. "I hate ssseeing married ponies happy together. It just remindsss me of what I lossst out on."

"Oh," Radiant Dawn said. She let out a breath. "Tanith, I'm single too, and I'm not happy about it, but I can't let that make me bitter toward married ponies. That's no way to live at all." She paused, feeling awkward having a conversation like this in public, waiting until they passed a particularly busy section of street. "Besides, I wouldn't give up hope so easily," she said. "Your kind lives for a very long time. I'm sure there's a male out there for you."

Tanith looked up at the castle as it towered above them, glistening in the sun. "I don't know if there even are any other lamiae anymore," she said. "We were always fighting with each other and with pegasssi armies. I wouldn't be sssurprised if I'm the only one left."

"But you don't know for sure," Radiant Dawn said as they passed through the palace gates.

"Thisss is big talk coming from you," Tanith said. "How many hundredsss of moonsss have you been around, now? And you don't even have a boyfriend?"

Radiant Dawn clenched her jaw. "I don't know for myself that there's somepony out there for me. But I can't give up hope. Just like with a lot of other things in life. Besides, Celestia told me that I'll find my family someday, and I believe her. She knows what she's talking about."

While the two spoke, they wandered through the castle, until they found themselves on one of the garden terraces again. These wide swaths of greenery overlooked the valley of Daybreak, as well as the craggy, wooded mountains that surrounded the peaceful kingdom.

Tanith leaned against the parapet, looking down on the city that was once hers. "I jussst don't ssseee how it'sss possssible," she said quietly.

"Neither do I," Radiant Dawn said, standing beside her, "but that doesn't mean I'll give up believing in it. Just like when—" She paused.

"Like when you defeated me," Tanith said.

Radiant Dawn nodded. "I didn't give up hope then, against all odds, even when nopony else believed in me—and I came out triumphant. I know you and I can do the same with this challenge."

"It'sss harder when it'sss sssomething you can't control," Tanith grumbled.

"I know," Radiant Dawn said. "But when that day finally comes that we find who we're looking for… I know we'll fight for them with all our might."

As she spoke, she had been watching a speck in the distant sky. At first it looked like a bird, but as it grew larger and closer, she realized it was a pegasus. A pegasus flying straight at them.


	4. Chapter 4

The deep blue pegasus mare zoomed through the sky, making a beeline for the terrace where Radiant Dawn and Tanith stood. The two withdrew, and Radiant Dawn threw up a magic shield, unsure of this pony's intentions. It didn't help that the pegasus wore armor, black chased with gold, and had a severe expression on her muzzle.

When she reached the parapet, she slowed down, and landed sharply on the grass of the terrace, clicking her hooves together. "Princess Radiant Dawn, I presume?" she asked, saluting with one wing.

Radiant Dawn let down her shield. "Y-yes," she stammered. "Who are you?"

"Private Stratosphere," the pegasus said, "of the 14th Legion of Pelopponysus, ma'am!"

Tanith hissed. "What businessss does Pelopponysssusss have with Daybreak?"

"I don't know," Radiant Dawn whispered. "I've never heard from them before." All she knew about the rather insular pegasus state was that it was located in the vast tablelands somewhere to the south of Daybreak, beyond the mountains. She cleared her throat and looked back to the pegasus. "What brings you here, Stratosphere?" she asked.

" _Private_ Stratosphere, ma'am," the mare said. "I come bearing a message from our leader, Commander Cloudkicker. Your help is needed in Pelopponysus. She requests a visit from you as soon as possible."

Now Radiant Dawn was really confused. "What does she need my help with?" she asked. Nothing like this had ever happened before. She was not involved in the politics of other Equestrian lands.

"That's classified information, ma'am," Stratosphere said. "She will brief you when you arrive." Her light blue eyes moved to Tanith, and narrowed slightly. "Are you bringing the lamia?"

"Wait—I didn't really agree to this yet," Radiant Dawn said, feeling a bit of panic rise up in her. "Why do you need my help, specifically? Is this something Princess Celestia needs to take care of?"

Stratosphere looked back at her and frowned even more severely. "Ma'am, Pelopponysus and Canterlot are not on good political terms. Commander Cloudkicker requests your assistance, as her nearest alicorn ally."

Radiant Dawn grimaced. How did these pegasi think she would be able to help them? She might have been an alicorn, but all she really knew how to do was govern her kingdom and spread happiness, and she didn't know if Commander Cloudkicker had a problem with either of those things. In fact, judging from Stratosphere's demeanor, it seemed the pegasi of Pelopponysus were not really that interested in happiness.

But, she could never turn down a pony in need. And although she did not feel nearly as capable as Celestia, Radiant Dawn was still an alicorn and a princess of Equestria. Celestia would not have made her such if she could not handle things like this. Radiant Dawn nodded. "I hear your request and accept, Private," she said. "My companion and I will leave for Pelopponysus tomorrow."

Stratosphere nodded, then froze at the mention of a companion. Again she gave Tanith a dour look. "Ma'am, are you sure you want to bring the lamia?" she asked.

"I'd rather be left behind," Tanith said. "Believe me."

"Tanith," Radiant Dawn said, "Celestia tasked me with helping you to be happy. I can't do that if I'm not around, and I'm not sure how long this excursion to Pelopponysus is going to take. Would you please come with me?"

"You don't know what you're asssking," Tanith said. "My race is from the tablelands, Radiant Dawn. For untold ages we have warred with the pegasssi of Pelopponysssusss."

Radiant Dawn put her hoof down. "Well, then, it's time to put that to an end," she said. "Happiness lesson number—number whatever: let go of animosity. It's not doing anypony any good. I would like you to accompany me to Pelopponysus, so we can show the pegasi that lamiae and ponies can get along." She turned to a rather shocked-looking Stratosphere. "Is that all right?"

The private blinked. "Er—whatever you think is best, ma'am," she said. "It's not my position to give you orders. I'll report back to Commander Cloudkicker with your reply. Thank you."

"Have a safe flight home!" Radiant Dawn said as the pegasus took off into the air.

Stratosphere froze, a confused look passing over her muzzle like nopony had ever said that to her before. "Uh—thanks—ma'am," she said before soaring into the sky.

Tanith leaned against the stone of the castle wall. "Thisss is going to fail horribly."

"I'm not giving up," Radiant Dawn said. Somehow, Tanith's pessimism just heightened the alicorn's drive to help Pelopponysus. She wanted to prove Tanith wrong. Things worked out, things got better, and Radiant Dawn wanted Tanith to see that first-hand.

* * *

They left the next morning, via pegasus-drawn chariot. Radiant Dawn left Red Tape and Majordomo in charge of the kingdom while she was gone. The two were capable leaders in their own right, and had done a wonderful job of looking after things in the past whenever Radiant Dawn ventured out of Daybreak. So there were no worries there.

No, what caused her anxiety was what lay ahead—as well as what sat next to her in her chariot. Tanith was draped over one side of the vehicle, her tail lolling in the air, watching as the clouds rolled by. "You could have just flown," she mentioned. "You have wings. Although you ssseem to keep forgetting that."

Radiant Dawn puffed out one cheek. "I can fly," she said, "but you can't. And I'm not leaving you behind. At any rate… I'm not the best flyer, and Pelopponysus is quite a way away." She watched the flapping wings of her escort, two pegasus stallions who also served in the royal guard force. Daybreak had no standing military except for these royal guards, but it never needed one, something Radiant Dawn was grateful for.

"Why is Pelopponysus so militant?" she asked Tanith. "I thought—well, it just doesn't seem very… pony-like."

"Pegasssi are warriors," Tanith said. "It'sss in their blood. In ancient days, they were fiercer and mightier. Surely you've read about that in hissstory booksss." She smirked a bit. "King Early Light did put up quite a good fight before I banished him."

"I did read about the history of Cloudsdale," Radiant Dawn said. "Long ago, around the time of the founding of Ponyville and the first Hearth's Warming Eve, the pegasi of Cloudsdale seemed much like Pelopponysus is now."

"Long years of assssociation with Canterlot have sssoftened mossst of the pegasssi," Tanith said. "They are no longer interesssted in warfare or military might—they put mossst of their energy into weather manufacturing and stunt flying now. But there are always holdoutsss, essspecially in more remote areas. I am not sssurprised Pelopponysus is ssstill going ssstrong." Looking down, her eyes widened and she sat up. "Ah—my homeland—"

Radiant Dawn followed the lamia's gaze to the ground and drew in a breath. Before them stretched miles and miles of flat, open land, devoid of trees and carpeted in low scrubs. Canyons cut into the plains like somepony had sliced the earth with a blade, exposing sheer cliffs of many-layered rock faces. From the basin floor rose colossal sheets of stone, flat-topped mountains with vertical sides, sitting like miniature continents in a sea of air.

"No wonder they call it the tablelands," Radiant Dawn said.

Tanith was speechless. Her tongue flicked in and out of her mouth as she gazed longingly at the place she had once called home, and tears welled in her golden eyes. Radiant Dawn had never seen the lamia look so fond of something—it seemed there was still some love lurking somewhere in Tanith's heart.

Suddenly Tanith gripped the side of the chariot. "Down there," she said, pointing a claw.

Far below them, Radiant Dawn saw a cloud of tan dust. Something was moving. Among the dust, scales flashed in the sun, scales belonging to enormous writhing serpent bodies. "Are those… lamiae?" the alicorn asked.

Tanith nodded. "Looksss like they're on a hunt."

She and Radiant Dawn watched until the scene passed from their view. Then Tanith sat back in the chariot, seeming rather sobered.

"Do you want to join them?" Radiant Dawn asked, suddenly full of pity for the creature. "They're your own kind—I shouldn't keep you from them—"

"No," Tanith said. She looked ahead, unblinking. "Lamiae are a quarrelsssome lot. My tribe is mossst likely long gone. I do not think those lamiae would greet me with open coils. I am sssafer with you."

"Oh… I'm sorry," Radiant Dawn said. All the same, she sort of wished Tanith would just give it a try instead of giving up before even doing anything. She decided that when this business with Pelopponysus was over, she would take Tanith on a diplomatic mission to the lamiae.

"Your Highness," one of her pegasus guards said. "We're now approaching Pelopponysus."

"Thank you," Radiant Dawn said, and then "Wow…"

They were headed for the largest mesa in the vicinity. Instead of having a flat top, it looked rather like somepony had parked Cloudsdale on top of the rock—clouds had been woven into a complex of buildings that stretched not only across the mesa, but into the sky above and around it. Pegasi were everywhere, and from a distance the city looked like a hive of busy bees.

Two pegasi, both wearing black and gold armor, winged toward the chariot. "Halt!" one of them said. "State your name and business!"

"Princess Radiant Dawn," the alicorn said, sitting up straight. "Here on official business at the request of Commander Cloudkicker. And my companion, Tanith." Tanith waved casually.

The two pegasi gave the lamia dubious looks, but seemed to take Radiant Dawn's word for it. "We've been expecting you, Your Highness," one of them said. "You're cleared for entry."

"We'll accompany you to Cloudkicker's fortress," the other said. "Please, follow us."

Radiant Dawn nodded to them, and her escort pulled her chariot closer to the city while the Pelopponysians flew in tight formation ahead of them. Now she could see that a good number of pegasi wore gold and black armor, and most of them seemed to be doing drills of some sort, working out or otherwise training. "You weren't kidding about them being big on the military," the alicorn said.

"Lassst I remember, it was practically all they did," Tanith said. "Ssseems that hasn't changed. They're always training to be prepared to fight off the next big threat to Equessstria… and to keep them sssatiated until then, there are plenty of ssskirmishes with lamiae and other creatures that live in the valleys."

As they flew through the cloud-constructed city, Radiant Dawn looked around at the stark architecture, the somber-faced ponies in armor, and the civilian pegasi who quietly plied their trades in marketplaces. At one point, the chariot passed a school where foals were doing calisthenics, led by their teacher. They all looked up when they saw Radiant Dawn pass by, their eyes wide with amazement, before their teacher ordered them back to their exercises. The princess tried to wave at them, but only a few waved back before remembering what they were supposed to be doing.

She realized that nopony was smiling. The cloudy lanes were silent, instead of being filled with laughter and song like in Daybreak.

"Oh my," she muttered under her breath. "Perhaps this really is a job for the Princess of Happiness."

Tanith waved a hand at her. "They enjoy thisss lifessstyle."

"You're being oppressed!" somepony shouted down below. "Cloudkicker is unfit to lead us! Her policies are unfair!"

A pegasus stood on a street corner, passing out pamphlets to everypony who passed her. Most of the ponies refused them, but some took the pamphlets in confusion and began to read them.

"What's going on down there?" Radiant Dawn asked the soldiers escorting her.

"A protest," one of them grunted, rolling his eyes. "Pay her no heed. She's being misled."

"And we wish we knew by who," one of the other soldiers muttered.

A pair of armor-clad pegasi began to move toward the protester. "What is this insurrection?" one of them asked. "You know we must pledge loyalty to our Commander."

"See?!" the protester shrieked. "Oppression! I'm loyal to Pelopponysus, not that tyrant Cloudkicker!" She threw the pamphlets at the soldiers' faces and took off into the sky.

"Hey!" one of the soldiers barked as he zoomed after her. "You can't say that—it's treason!" His companion stayed behind to collect the pamphlets, crumpling them up with a scowl.

Radiant Dawn chewed on the inside of her cheek. "Yes, something is definitely wrong here," she said.

"It'sss not your problem," Tanith said. "Let'sss jussst do what Cloudkicker wantsss and then get out of thisss messss."

Their escorts took them up to the highest point of the cloud-city, where an enormous, imposing fortress had been sculpted out of cumulus. Guards lined the ramparts and patrolled the skies, but they nodded to Radiant Dawn as her chariot approached, and let her pass.

Her vehicle touched down outside the fortress gates and she stepped off onto soft cloud—and then she looked up at Tanith and realized her mistake. "Whoops," the alicorn said. "I forgot that you can't walk on clouds."

"Not a problem," Tanith said. She stretched out her claws and her eyes glowed purple. Suddenly a dark aura erupted around her form. A thick tendril of it lashed out and globbed onto a bit of cloud near Radiant Dawn. A second tendril shot out and stuck to the fortress wall. Like a spider on her web, Tanith pulled herself out of the chariot and suspended herself next to the princess. "That'sss better," she said.

Radiant Dawn's eyes widened. "I—I thought you couldn't use your magic," she choked. "It feeds on despair."

"I can't use it in Daybreak," Tanith said, inspecting her claws. "But here? Oh, there's plenty of dessspair here. Even if it'sss nothing as drassstic as what I did to your kingdom centuries back. Ssstill—a dropped ice cream cone here, a broken heart there… it all adds up."

Radiant Dawn wrinkled her muzzle. "I'm sorry," she said, "but that sounds awful."

The gates opened and they moved inside. Tanith kept in motion by continuously sending out tentacles of dark magic, pulling herself through the courtyard alongside her happiness mentor. "What?" she asked. "I'm not _causing_ misery thisss time. I'm just using what'sss already here."

"I suppose that's fair," Radiant Dawn muttered.

Their escort led them into the vaulted hallways of the fortress interior, where more soldiers strutted about on official business. Despite their severe expressions, seeing Radiant Dawn and Tanith made them stop in their tracks and stare for a moment before continuing. The princess wondered what surprised them more—an alicorn or a lamia in their midst.

Finally, she and Tanith were let into a large room with maps and diagrams all over the walls. The crest of Peloponnysus, a golden winged shield on an ebony background, hung above a wide, round table with many chairs, the only furniture in the room. The table was covered in papers—including a few pamphlets like the ones the protester had been handing out. And sitting there, examining them, was a pegasus.

She was a white mare with a curly, sky-blue mane and tail, and she wore elaborate gold and black armor decorated with several medals. Her pink eyes scanned the papers with a severe gaze as she grumbled to herself. Next to her chair stood a set of armor, complete with a fierce-looking helmet that would obscure a pony's entire head. It seemed to be sized for a rather large stallion, and was probably placed in the war room for decorative purposes.

When she heard the door open, the pegasus glanced up. "Ah, Princess Radiant— _lamia!_ " she shouted, leaping into the air.

"Wait!" Radiant Dawn said, stepping in front of Tanith. "It's all right—she's with me. It's a long story, but she's not here to cause trouble."

"Don't think I want to be here," Tanith hissed. "She made me come along. I'm her 'happinessss pupil'."

The pegasus mare eyed the lamia warily, then slowly sunk back to her chair. "I admit I was not expecting this," she said, clopping her front hooves together, "but I will not pretend to grasp the workings of alicorns. I trust you will keep the lamia under control during your stay here, Your Highness."

"Keep me under control?!" Tanith hissed, drawing herself up. "I am not an animal!"

"I know," Radiant Dawn said. "Commander Cloudkicker, correct?" The pegasus mare nodded. "Tanith doesn't mean anypony any harm. She is under my protection. She's—my friend."

The lamia blinked. "I am?" she asked, raising a scaly eyebrow.

Radiant Dawn nodded. "Of course you are. And that means I expect Tanith to receive the same respect I do, is that understood?" she said to Cloudkicker.

The commander grimaced, but nodded. "Fair enough," she said. "I've got bigger things on my hooves right now, anyhow. Please, sit down."

Radiant Dawn took a chair across the table from the commander, and Tanith moved a few chairs aside to accommodate her long body. The lamia glanced over at the set of armor next to Cloudkicker, and her forked tongue flicked in and out.

"I was told," Radiant Dawn said, "that you needed an alicorn's assistance. What may I assist you with, Commander?"

Cloudkicker sighed and nudged the pamphlets forward. "Somepony wants my government dismantled," she said. "The Pelopponysian Army has governed this state fairly for thousands of moons, keeping its citizens safe from outside threats." She glared at Tanith. "We are the finest warriors in all of Equestria. Our citizens are trained as soldiers from foalhood, and our state is carefully regimented to ensure the utmost efficiency and loyalty."

She put a hoof down on one of the pamphlets and frowned. "And now, somepony wants to ruin all of that."

"Do you know why?" Radiant Dawn asked.

Cloudkicker shook her head. "From what we've been able to gather, somepony's been spreading subversive ideas to my citizens, telling them that I don't care about their welfare, that I'm a greedy tyrant keeping them under my hoof out of a love of power. I've noticed many civilian ponies becoming less than satisfied with the way I run things."

Radiant Dawn cleared her throat. "Well, um," she said, "from what I've seen, life around here does seem a little… severe. It might help if you lightened up a bit. See, I'm the Princess of Happiness and—"

The look Cloudkicker gave the alicorn was enough to silence her. "I don't need to be told how to run my state, Your Highness," the pegasus said. "We are perfectly content the way we are—and we cannot afford to take life less seriously. I called you here because I need the help of an alicorn."

She looked to the suit of armor beside her, and then leaned over the table toward the princess. "We've apprehended and arrested several insurgents, and are keeping them in the dungeons, but they're not telling us where they're getting their ideas. They're obviously organized, so they must have leadership." Her eyes narrowed. "I wager alicorn magic can make them talk. I need you to interrogate them and—"

Radiant Dawn's stomach twisted. "No, thank you," she said firmly.

Cloudkicker paused. "Excuse me?"

"I'm not going to use my magic like that," Radiant Dawn said. "And—and I think if you stooped to those kinds of tactics, you'd be exactly the sort of leader these insurgents want everypony to believe you are. Don't descend to their level."

The commander looked aside and tapped her hooves together again. "Well, do you have any better ideas?" she asked.

"I do," Radiant Dawn said. "I can use my influence as a princess in other ways." She smiled. "Let's pretend I've come here on a diplomatic visit. I can tour the city and talk to ponies, and use that as an excuse to do some snooping."

Cloudkicker thought for a moment. "I suppose that might work," she said. "Yes—I think that stands a chance. One of our prisoners let slip that their leadership is somewhere in my upper ranks. Obviously, I could do mass arrests of my officers, but I'm not that cruel." She looked up at the suit of armor again. "I hate to doubt any of my officers, but this might be the perfect way to determine where the weak links lie without unfairly punishing my loyalists."

Radiant Dawn let out a sigh of relief. Perhaps this whole thing wouldn't go so badly, after all. She knew a spell that would let her discern when a pony was lying. She would have this intrigue sorted out in no time.

"And General Ironclad will be your escort," Cloudkicker added.

Suddenly the suit of armor next to her flared its wings. "What?!" it cried in a deep voice, taking a halting step back.

Radiant Dawn jumped and nearly fell out of her chair in surprise. "Y-you're a real pony!" she gasped.


	5. Chapter 5

There was, indeed, a real pony under all that armor, but he had been standing so perfectly still the entire time that Radiant Dawn had not noticed he was alive. Now, though, he was much more animated as he shook his head and slapped his tail against his hind legs. He was a tall, powerfully built pegasus with a dark gray coat and a long, silver mane and tail tied off at the ends.

Radiant Dawn glanced over at Tanith, who seemed completely unfazed. "What?" the lamia asked with a shrug. "You couldn't sssmell he was there?" She flicked out her tongue again.

"Apparently not," Radiant Dawn said.

"Commander—" the stallion said, pawing the floor with one hoof. "I thought you just needed me for this meeting—I have some drills I was going to run with my troops after this!"

Cloudkicker turned to him. "I appreciate your dedication to your work, General Ironclad," she said, "but this matter is far more urgent. There will be time enough to train your troops once we restore the city to order. Princess Radiant Dawn will need somepony to look out for her on this mission. There is a chance that things could turn ugly."

With a deep snort, Ironclad reached up and pulled off his helmet, revealing the strong-jawed face of a pony in the late prime of adulthood, a little older than the age Radiant Dawn was permanently set at. An old scar ran across his broad muzzle, and a thin silver beard edged his jawline, while a few tufts of his forelock strayed from being tied back with the rest of his mane. His eyes, a brilliant green, bored into the princess, and his brow furrowed with a frown.

"I beg your pardon, Commander," he said, "but this is an alicorn we are talking about, here. She does not need my protection. She's more than capable of looking out for herself."

Radiant Dawn had to work to keep her ears from drooping. It seemed like nopony in Pelopponysus wanted to like her, and that hurt. She fought to keep her expression stoic, waiting for the two pegasi to hash things out.

"But she is unfamiliar with our city and my officers," Cloudkicker said, "while you were born and raised here, and have served faithfully and valiantly under me for many moons. I can think of nopony else I would rather trust this vital assignment to, General. It is the highest honor."

Ironclad gave her a dubious look, but sighed. "As you wish, Commander," he said quietly. "But—who will look after my troops while I'm gone?"

Cloudkicker smiled. "That is what your legates are for, if I am not mistaken. You have done an excellent job training your subordinates. I think they can manage on their own for a few days."

"But—what if there's another lamia attack while I'm on this… diplomatic mission?" Ironclad asked, saying "diplomatic mission" like Cloudkicker expected him to eat mud rather than show an alicorn around.

"Then I will need somepony here to make sure the city does not fall apart at the seams while my soldiers go off and fight," Cloudkicker said.

Ironclad apparently could not argue with this reasoning, and he shut his mouth. Shaking his head slightly, he jammed his helmet back on and rounded the table. "Let's go," he grunted to Radiant Dawn. "Might as well start now."

"Oh—okay," Radiant Dawn said.

"You'll be staying in the fortress while you're here," Cloudkicker said as Ironclad led the princess and the lamia out of the war room. "Let us know if you need anything."

"I will, thanks," was all Radiant Dawn had time to say as she clambered to catch up with the general.

"Well, aren't you a charmer," Tanith said to the pegasus as he marched stiffly down the corridor, head low.

"Please do keep your lamia 'friend' under control, Your Highness," Ironclad said. "I'm in no mood to deal with an enemy in my midst."

Radiant Dawn watched his hooves pound on the cloud-floors, and all she could think was how miserable he must have been. "I'm sorry," she said. "You don't have to come with us. I could probably handle things on my own—"

Ironclad stopped and turned around. Past the shadowed eye-holes of his helmet, Radiant Dawn could see his green eyes glowering at her. "Oh, I'm sure you can," he said, "because you're just so special and perfect and powerful. Why are you even bothering with us _mortal_ ponies, anyway? Going to show off how amazing you are so we'll all worship you for saving our city?"

Radiant Dawn's ears tilted back in confusion. She didn't think she had done anything wrong, but why was this stallion taking out all of his frustration on her? She got the impression that if she tried to argue back that that wasn't the case at all, he wouldn't believe her, so she tried a different approach. "A-actually," she said, "I'd like to see how well Tanith could get along with you pegasi." She smiled nervously. "I don't think there's any reason why the lamiae and the pegasi need to fight all the time. Maybe you'd both be happier if you were all friends—"

"Fat chance," Tanith said. "Pegasssi are brutesss who jussst care about expanding their territory."

"That's not all we care about!" Ironclad whinnied. "Lamiae attack our communities all the time, trying to feed on ponies' despair and misery! Of course we've got to fight you off! You're heartless monsters!"

Radiant Dawn quickly saw that this was not going anywhere. "So, ah, where should we start, General?" she asked, forcing a smile onto her face.

Ironclad looked at her like she was a moron for smiling in this situation. "What do you know about Pelopponysian military ranks?" he asked.

"Um… nothing, really," Radiant Dawn admitted.

She was expecting another barbed remark, but instead Ironclad paused. "Oh," he said. "Well—Pelopponysus is overseen by a single commander—that's Cloudkicker. Under her are the generals. There are seven of us, and we each oversee five legions." His tone was less abrasive as he led the two "diplomats" back out into the courtyard. "Each legion is led by a legate and their second-in-command, the tribune. I figure we can start with those three ranks, see what we can learn, and work our way down from there."

Radiant Dawn nodded. "Sounds good to me. Where are the other generals?"

"Out doing training," Ironclad said, "or in their offices. I'll be able to track them down quickly." He flapped his wings and pushed off into the air. "Let's go."

Radiant Dawn spread her wings and carefully lofted into the air beside him, while Tanith used her magic to latch on to a nearby cloud, and then another, propelling herself forward with the momentum.

"Ssso," the lamia said to Ironclad as they moved through the city, "how do we know you're not the one behind all thisss?"

The pegasus glared at her. "I would never dream of such a dishonorable act," he said. "And I do not appreciate your accusations."

"I know," Tanith said, "but I'll bet if I asssked any other pony here, they'd sssay the sssame thing as you, even if they were lying. I can't take your word for it."

"If Cloudkicker trusts him," Radiant Dawn said, "then so do I." She gave Ironclad a friendly smile.

He looked at her for a moment and then snorted. "Good," he said. "You had better not use any of your alicorn magic on me. I'm more trustworthy than that."

"You realize," Tanith said, "that that's alssso what any other pony would sssay. Essspecially if they knew they'd be caught lying by a truth-seeing spell."

"I promise I won't ever use that spell on you, General," Radiant Dawn said. He seemed like the type of pony who would not take kindly to somepony mistrusting him, and she knew he did not want to be doing this, so the least she could do would be to try to make this as easy on him as possible.

He flapped his wings for a moment in silence, then grunted, "Thanks." Something in the distance seemed to catch his attention. "Whistler Wave!" he shouted, banking sharply to one side.

Radiant Dawn worked to follow him, trying her hardest to stay airborne. She beat her wings with all her might, attempting to use any possible updraft she could find.

"I wonder if he's trying to lose usss on purpossse," Tanith grumbled as she flung out her shadow magic next to the alicorn.

"He's… probably just used to flying more than I am," Radiant Dawn panted. "He _is_ a natural-born pegasus."

"Ssstill," Tanith said, "he's wearing me out as well. Keeping up thisss magic takesss work."

An electric-blue pegasus with a fiery red and orange mane zoomed through the sky with a piercing whistle. "Ironclad!" he called, circling around the three before coming to a hovering stop in front of them. "I'd gotten word about the princess of Daybreak and her lamia friend!" He regarded Radiant Dawn with a friendly smile, and glanced over at Tanith suspiciously.

Ironclad cleared his throat. "They're here on a diplomatic visit," he said. "Cloudkicker asked me to show them around and introduce them to the leaders of our military." He motioned a hoof to Radiant Dawn. "Your Highness, this is General Whistler Wave."

"It's a pleasure to have you here, Your Highness," Whistler Wave said, shaking her hoof. "What do you think of our military might? The finest in all Equestria!"

"It's certainly impressive," Radiant Dawn said. "I've never seen anything like it." As she and Whistler Wave chatted about various goings-on in the state, she tried hard to discern if he sounded insincere about anything, or if he wasn't pleased with the way Cloudkicker ran things. In her centuries of study, she had learned a way to cast certain spells without making it evident to an onlooker, so she had her truth-seeing spell active, but Whistler Wave didn't seem to be lying about anything.

Finally, he excused himself to go back to overseeing some training exercises, and raced back into the sky with a fading whistle. "He seems to check out okay," Radiant Dawn said.

Ironclad nodded before diving back toward the city. "Of course he does," he said. "Whistler Wave is a good friend of mine. He was my commanding officer back when I first joined the Pelopponysian Legion. It's thanks to his guiding influence that I was able to rise through the ranks so quickly. He would never turn on Cloudkicker."

On the descent, they ran into two other officers, Legate Blue Jet and her tribune, Red Sprite. The two mares were outgoing and confident as they told Radiant Dawn about their activities with the 14th Legion, and some of the battles they had been in. Tanith did not look happy about how many victories the 14th had scored over lamia invaders.

But Ironclad remained curt to the alicorn, and Radiant Dawn knew he would much rather be seeing to his official duties than be stuck as a tour guide for somepony who was technically capable of taking care of herself.

General Galeforce told them that Legate Eclipse was currently at her home, which sent Radiant Dawn, Tanith, and their reluctant escort down the cloud-streets of Pelopponysus's residential sector. Pegasi still shied away from Tanith, but it seemed a number of them had gotten the news already, as they did not panic at the lamia's presence.

"So… what do you think of Commander Cloudkicker?" Radiant Dawn asked Ironclad. "And I promise I'm not using a truth-seeing spell."

The general narrowed his eyes at her. "I should hope I'm more trustworthy than that," he said. "As for Cloudkicker, she is an excellent commander with her head on straight. She may be a little heavy-hooved in her methods sometimes, but she means well. Our city has prospered and been kept secure under her command." He paused. "She is not a tyrant, if that's the impression you were getting of her."

"That's good to know," Radiant Dawn said. Aside from the protesters, nopony else seemed particularly unhappy with life in Pelopponysus—just very serious.

"Uncle Ironclad!" a young voice shouted from down the lane.

Radiant Dawn glanced ahead. A light green pegasus filly galloped over the clouds, racing for the large stallion.

The princess stiffened. If there was one thing she could not tolerate, it was unkindness toward foals. She was prepared to intervene if Ironclad was less than polite to his apparent niece.

Instead, he took off his helmet and his muzzle broke into a wide grin. "Cirrus!" he said, sounding genuinely happy to see her. He spread his front legs wide.

She leaped into them and hugged him tight. "Uncle Ironclad! I got my cutie mark!" she said. She motioned with her nose to her flank, where there was an image of wispy clouds. "I just got it! Just now!"

Ironclad laughed. "Congratulations!" he said. "It suits you perfectly!"

"Cirrus, wait for me!" another voice squeaked. A younger colt galloped toward them, lavender with a darker shade of yellow for his mane and tail, tiny wings buzzing as he wasn't quite able to use them yet. Behind him trotted a dark purple mare whose wavy mane and tail were pink with yellow and orange streaks.

Ironclad pulled him into the hug, too. "Great to see you, Nimbus!" he said. "How was school?"

"I'm getting better at math!" Nimbus said. "And, and I saw the princess and the lamia fly over the schoolyard!"

"I saw them, too!" Cirrus said, hanging her front legs around her uncle's neck. She gazed at the two visitors in amazement. Radiant Dawn waved and gave her a friendly smile, and the filly's face lit up as she waved back. "Did you see that?! She waved at me!" Cirrus said.

Ironclad glanced over his shoulder at the princess, and the joy in his expression faded, replaced by a stern stare that suggested Radiant Dawn had better not criticize him for enjoying his family.

At that moment, Radiant Dawn experienced a strange mix of emotions. The first thing she realized was that, despite her initial impression of him, Ironclad was a pony who cared very deeply about those close to him, and showed that love freely. Over the years, Radiant Dawn had learned that the way a pony treated foals showed a lot about that pony's true nature, and right now Ironclad's nature was showing through strongly.

Then she was hit with the fact that this meant he disliked her. And for some reason that made her sadder than it should have. She knew she should not let it get to her when a pony disliked her—nopony could like absolutely everypony, after all. And yet Ironclad's poor attitude toward her hurt. She tried to ignore that, though, for the foals' sake. She could not foist her problems upon them, nor would she want to. She wanted to be a kind and loving princess for them, even if this was not her kingdom.

"Ah, sorry, Ironclad," the purple mare said as she neared the general and his relatives. "I know you must be on duty right now, but Cirrus was just so excited to tell you about her cutie mark…" She trailed off as she looked up at Radiant Dawn and Tanith.

Ironclad shook his head, still letting his niece and nephew hang off of him. "Don't worry about it," he said with a smile. "Getting your cutie mark is a huge milestone!"

"Mom says I can have a cute-ceañera!" Cirrus said, pushing away from her uncle to fly in circles around him. "I'm having it tomorrow after school! You're invited!"

Ironclad's ears fell. "Oh…" Again, he glowered back at Radiant Dawn, and she had to really fight to keep her expression stoic. He turned to his niece. "I'm sorry, Cirrus," he said, "but Commander Cloudkicker has me on special assignment. I'm not sure when I'll be relieved of it. I'll have to miss your cute-ceañera."

Slowly, the filly sunk back to the clouds. "Awwwwww," she said. "But I wanted to invite Princess Radiant Dawn and the lamia, too!"

Radiant Dawn brightened. "I would love to come," she said before Ironclad could say anything.

He blinked for a moment. "But—what about meeting all the officers—" he sputtered.

The princess smiled down at Cirrus. "I'm here to learn everything I can about Pelopponysus," Radiant Dawn said, "including all of its citizens. I would be honored to attend Miss Cirrus's cute-ceañera." She glanced up at Tanith. "Are you all right with coming, too?"

"I sssuppose I haven't a choice," Tanith muttered. She looked down at the two foals, who seemed both afraid of and fascinated by her.

"Neat, a real live lamia!" Nimbus said. "I've never seen one before!"

"Me either!" Cirrus said. "This'll be great!" They began chasing each other around the clouds, whooping and screaming.

The purple mare shook her head. "I'm terribly sorry about all the noise, Your Highness," she said.

"Don't worry about it," Radiant Dawn said. "I love seeing foals happy. I don't believe we've met. You are?"

"Nebula," the pegasus mare said with a bow. "I'm General Ironclad's younger sister. My husband is a pilus prior in the 28th Legion."

"It's an honor to meet you, Nebula," Radiant Dawn said.

"Are you sure you don't mind coming to my daughter's cute-ceañera?" Nebula asked.

The alicorn shook her head. "I would love to!" she said. "To be honest, I don't even know what a cute-ceañera is!"

Nebula chuckled. "It's a custom that's just sprung up over the past few decades or so, Your Highness," she said. "It's a party to celebrate a foal receiving their cutie mark."

"Ohh, I see," Radiant Dawn said. "Sounds like fun!"

The pegasus mare smiled. "I have to admit," she said, "it's nice to see somepony so upbeat around here. Pelopponysus is usually such a somber place. I think it could do some ponies good to have somepony to make them smile." Her green eyes twinkled as she glanced over at her brother.

Ironclad blushed and pulled his helmet back on. "Please excuse me, Nebula," he said, suddenly sounding rather professional, "but I would like to try to introduce the princess to as many officers as I can today. We were on our way to Legate Eclipse's house."

Nebular nodded and stepped out of the way. "All right," she said. "I'll see you at the cute-ceañera tomorrow! Thank you for coming—all of you!" she said, glancing up at Tanith as the three passed by.

"I hope the food is good," was all Tanith managed to say.

As they wandered among cloud-sculpted buildings, Radiant Dawn's hooves faltered and she had to force herself to keep moving, to keep holding her head up high. No matter how badly she hurt inside, she could not show that to anypony here. It was not their responsibility to comfort her.

And she didn't know if she could be comforted, anyhow. She always tried her hardest to be kind to other ponies, and now somepony disliked her just because—well, she didn't even quite know why, except that she was the reason he was stuck on this assignment.

"Sssomething's bothering you," Tanith said as they moved past rows of multi-storied houses.

Radiant Dawn shook her head. "It's not of any consequence," she said. It really wasn't. She was not here to make friends, or to get everypony to like her. She was here to try to help Commander Cloudkicker and prevent a coup. And at any rate, that definitely meant quite a few ponies were going to end up disliking her.

But not the pony who was supposed to be assisting her, she thought in frustration.

"Here we are," Ironclad said, knocking at one of the doors. The outside of the home was beautifully sculpted out of cloud, with twining wisps of mist draped over the windows.

The door creaked open. "Hello?" a female voice said. A pony poked her head out. Her coat was a dark, dark brown, nearly black, and her wild mane blazed white with streaks of orange. Her amber eyes widened when she saw the princess and the lamia. "Ah—you must be Princess Radiant Dawn!" the pegasus mare said. "Please, come in!"

"Thank you, Legate Eclipse," Ironclad said as he stepped into her home. Radiant Dawn followed, and Tanith managed to squeeze herself inside as well.

For a moment, Radiant Dawn just stopped and stared, because Eclipse's home looked more like a museum. It was filled to bursting with intriguing artifacts of all kinds—old wooden carvings, ancient-looking vases, intricately shaped objects that hummed with magical power, and tapestries that showed scenes from pony cultures of ages past.

"I admit, I'm quite the history buff," Eclipse said with a chuckle when she saw Radiant Dawn's amazement. "These are just little knick-knacks I've picked up over the years."

"Don't be so modest, Eclipse," Ironclad said. "You've led so many expeditions to uncover archaeological sites around Equestria. Your adventures could fill several volumes."

"The past is just such an intriguing thing," Eclipse said, wandering around her front parlor, carefully adjusting several artifacts or brushing dust off of them. "There's a lot we can learn from it." She stopped in front of a rather nondescript little chest, sitting on a cushion on a table. "Here's something the princess might find interesting." She picked up the chest under one wing and carried it over to Radiant Dawn and Tanith, flipping it open with a feather.

What lay inside, on a satin lining, was a pile of jagged black shards of crystal. Radiant Dawn's polite smile froze and she sucked in a breath. The dark magic emanating from those crystals was like nothing she had ever experienced before. For some reason she couldn't place, it felt threatening to her.

Tanith's tongue flicked in and out. "What are those?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

An excited smile spread across Eclipse's muzzle. "I found them when I was exploring the remnants of the Crystal Empire, way up north!" she said. "According to my research, they must be some of King Sombra's magic crystals! I'm not sure how they managed to survive his defeat, or the disappearance of the Empire—but aren't they incredible!"

She pawed a hoof through the crystals, letting them glisten in the sunlight. Although somehow, they seemed to reflect a lot less light than they should—like they weren't allowing much of it to escape. "King Sombra must have been an amazingly powerful unicorn," Eclipse said with an awe that nearly approached reverence. "Don't you think so, Your Highness?"

Radiant Dawn swallowed hard. "Y-yes, he must have been," she said. She could not say she thought at all highly of what Sombra had done with his power, of course.

"Sometimes I wish I had been born a unicorn," Eclipse said with a sigh. "Their magical abilities are astounding. They can do so many things that other ponies can't. And you, as an alicorn, must have an incredible amount of magic power. What's that like?"

"It's, um…" Radiant Dawn glanced aside. "It's a big responsibility," she managed to say. Something about Eclipse was unnerving her, even though the legate had not lied about anything yet. The princess gave her a nervous smile. "Ah, Legate, it was very nice to meet you," she said, "but I'm afraid I'm getting rather hungry. Even alicorns need to eat," she added with a chuckle.

Eclipse closed the chest. "Oh, do they?" she asked, eyes glimmering with fascination. "See, I wasn't sure about that. I sort of thought perhaps you might have grown so powerful that you no longer had physical needs. That your magic alone might sustain you."

"You have some excellent questions," Radiant Dawn said, "but I'm afraid I simply haven't the time to answer them all." She glanced over at Ironclad, hoping he was getting the hint, as she backed toward the door.

She could practically see his frown past his helmet. "Thanks for letting us drop by, Eclipse," he said. "Sorry we couldn't stay longer. What the princess wants, the princess gets," he added rather bitterly.

"Oh, whatever," Tanith said with a wave of her talons. "I'm hungry, too, you feathered oaf. We haven't eaten sssince breakfassst."

"That's a shame," Eclipse said. "Well, do come back sometime! I'm really as curious about you as you are about us, Your Highness!"

"Have a good day!" Radiant Dawn said, keeping a pleasant smile plastered on her muzzle. In reality, she could not get out of there fast enough. As soon as they began heading back toward the fortress, she turned to Ironclad and said, "I don't trust her. Something was off about her. She seems far too interested in dark magic and—"

Ironclad snorted. "Eclipse is certainly not planning anything, I can tell you that," he said. "She's one of Cloudkicker's most sterling officers. She's made over a dozen incredible archaeological discoveries, and she's a blasted good warrior to boot. I won't have you besmirching her good name."

Radiant Dawn stared at his expressionless helmet in confusion and frustration. "I'm sure she's done a lot for Pelopponysus," she said, "but something doesn't feel right about her—"

The stallion tilted his head down at her. "Was she lying?" he asked.

The alicorn paused. "Well… no."

"Then stop sticking your royal opinion where it doesn't belong," Ironclad said. "You've got no right to judge a pony just because they come from a different culture, or have different interests than you."

At this point, Radiant Dawn didn't care about keeping up appearances and let her ears droop. She didn't know what to say. She couldn't apologize for her feelings. And she didn't know why Ironclad was so bent on taking everything she did the wrong way.

The general paused to look at her for a moment. One of his ears turned back, and he opened his mouth as if to say something.

Tanith put her hands on her hips, above where her tail started. "Get over yourssself," she hissed to Ironclad. "Your commander asssked Radiant Dawn to help. Let her help."

The pegasus glared up at her and shook his mane. "I didn't ask you, lamia," he said sharply. "Just be grateful your presence here is tolerated." With that, he took off and soared toward the fortress.

Radiant Dawn followed him as best as she could, although flying was even harder when she felt so depressed. And it was not helping her mood any that she was clearly not the best flyer, in a city full of pegasi where even the foals were probably better fliers than her.

Tanith swung from one cloud to the next by the alicorn's side. "I hope you realize," the lamia said, "I'm powering my magic nearly entirely from your own dessspair right now. It'sss that strong."

Radiant Dawn blinked back tears. This was one of the hardest things she'd ever had to do. Believing in herself when nopony else would, finding a way to defeat Tanith and free Daybreak when nopony else thought it was possible, had been excruciating. But so was being stuck in the middle of pegasus political intrigue with an assistant who hated her.

"Go ahead and use it," she said to Tanith. "I don't mind. I… I don't think I'm going to run out of it any time soon."

The lamia was silent for a moment, then sighed. "When you put it like that," she said, "it makesss me feel guilty sssomehow, even if I'm not causing it. But thanksss. I think." She lashed out with another tendril of magic and caught onto a cloud, pulling herself forward.

Radiant Dawn beat her wings, trying hard not to get left behind. As frustrating and upsetting as all of this was, she would not give up. Pelopponysus needed her help. She was a princess, and that meant looking out for other ponies, even when things were hard—especially when things were hard.

She just wished sometimes that she could catch a break, too.


	6. Chapter 6

After lunch – and Radiant Dawn did try to make it quick so as not to further inconvenience Ironclad – she went back to being introduced to all of the highest-ranking officers. Despite all the time she spent talking with them, nothing any of them said suggested any dissent. A few of them lied sometimes, but it was about things like just how large of a role they played in a certain battle, or how much they enjoyed early morning drills.

By dinner, when Cloudkicker had arranged a banquet in honor of the princess's visit, Radiant Dawn still had absolutely nothing to go on except the unease she felt around Eclipse. During the banquet, Eclipse kept trying to talk to her, asking her questions about being an alicorn, and Radiant Dawn tried her hardest to weasel out of it by paying plenty of attention to the other officers. Ironclad outright refused to speak to her, and he seemed like he did not even want to be there.

Tanith, meanwhile, kept herself busy with eating. Most of the pegasi avoided her, but some tried to ask her what she knew of the lamiae tribes who lived in the valleys below. She had nothing to tell them, as she had been separated from them for hundreds of moons.

When the socializing finally died down, Radiant Dawn excused herself and Tanith, who looked all too happy to leave.

"I can show you to your guest suites, Your Highness," said a deep blue pegasus who looked familiar.

"Ah—you're Private… Stratosphere, right?" Radiant Dawn asked as they walked down the cloudy halls.

The young mare's ears perked. "That's right, Your Highness," she said. She glanced back at the alicorn. "I'm… surprised you remembered me."

Radiant Dawn smiled. "Of course I remember you," she said. "Thank you for all that you do. You seem to work very hard for your state."

Stratosphere nodded, and gave her a shy grin in return. "I try, Your Highness," she said. As they rounded a corner, she added, "You know… some ponies here don't like the idea of one pony overseeing a kingdom. They say it's not fair and that the ruler's subjects don't have a voice—that everypony is just concentrated on making the ruler happy." She looked back at Radiant Dawn. "Is that true?"

The alicorn was quick to shake her head. "No," she said. "At least, not if they're a good ruler. A good ruler knows that her role is to make her subjects happy, not the other way around."

"What if," Tanith said, "dessspite her bessst effortsss, ponies in her kingdom refuse to be happy?"

Radiant Dawn thought for a moment. "Then… it's not the ruler's fault," she said. "Her heart is in the right place, and she's trying her hardest, but it's ultimately up to the individual to decide whether or not to be happy. Nopony can really _make_ anypony happy. And if a pony refuses to be happy in spite of everything, I don't think their situation is to blame."

"Hm." Tanith's gaze moved to the corridor ahead, and she fell silent as she coursed down the cloudy hallway on a platform of shadow.

"I hadn't really thought of it like that," Stratosphere said. "Thank you, Your Highness. Ah—" She grimaced. "Please don't think I'm one of those protesters or anything! I promise I'm loyal to Cloudkicker! I just… what they've been saying lately got me confused, it didn't sound right… I thought I might as well ask an alicorn."

She was telling the truth. Radiant Dawn's magic confirmed what her heart knew. "Don't worry," she said. "We're all entitled to find out the truth for ourselves. No pony should punish you for not wanting to follow your leadership blindly. It's important to truly believe in your ideals, not just go along with what everypony else thinks."

Stratosphere smiled. "Yes—I think you're right," she said. "I won't let the commander down, Your Highness! And… I won't let you down, either!" She saluted with one wing before turning to a pair of doors. "Oh, and here are your rooms!"

"Thank you," Radiant Dawn said. "You've been most helpful. I hope you have a wonderful evening."

"I will!" Stratosphere said. "I'm the only one of my parents' foals left at home, so the three of us like to read adventure stories aloud to each other before bed. We've just gotten to a really exciting part in one of them! Well, good night!"

As she trotted away, Radiant Dawn felt her heart grow heavy again. Once again, she was reminded that everypony had a family but her. Even Ironclad had a sister and a niece and nephew who he loved.

Her voice broke as she bid Tanith good night and pushed the door to her room open. Weary in both body and heart, she staggered into the bedroom and sat on the floor, head bowed. This entire experience was wearing at her. It felt hopeless in ways she had never before experienced.

"With the amount of sssadnessss you're giving off right now," a voice said quietly behind her, "I could easily take over thisss entire city."

"Please don't," Radiant Dawn said. "I just can't handle that right now." She sunk to the floor and folded her hooves over her eyes. She was not looking forward to waking up tomorrow morning.

Tanith moved next to her. "I won't," she said. "I promisssed Celessstia that I would try to learn to be happy. And… I don't think I could bring myssself to do any more conquering."

"Thank you," Radiant Dawn said, and then she burst into tears.

Tanith reached over and smoothed down the alicorn's mane. "What'sss gotten to you ssso badly?" she asked. "Eclipssse's creepy Sssombra obsssessssion?"

"Ironclad hates me," Radiant Dawn sobbed, "and I don't know why. And I don't know why I care so much, either. I guess—I guess it's because—I think there's quite a lot I like about him." She buried her muzzle in her hooves, feeling utterly confused and embarrassed. "He's loyal and strong and takes his job seriously—and I can tell how much he loves his family, so despite that gruff exterior, I think there's a caring heart beneath all that armor. But he's just so… _mean_ to me. And just to me—" With a groan, she curled up into a ball, wishing the heartache would go away.

Tanith scooped her up into a hug. "Hey," the lamia said. "You're gonna be okay, Radiant Dawn. He's just a dumb ssstallion. He doesn't deserve your tears. He's not worth it." She gave the alicorn a tight squeeze. "If sssomepony treatsss you like that, they're not worth your time, okay? You definitely don't deserve sssomepony like him."

Radiant Dawn hugged her back. "Thank you," she sniffed. She never thought her one-time enemy would end up comforting her over stallion troubles like this, but she would take what she could get. And it seemed as though all of her sincere caring and friendship had really gotten through to Tanith, after all. That gave her a small spark of hope for Celestia's assignment, even if Radiant Dawn's personal life still looked bleak. "Thanks for being my friend," she added.

Tanith cleared her throat and set the alicorn down. "Well—I'm not quite sssure I'm ready for friendship yet," she said, "but I can't ssstand ssseeing you ssso miserable. Never mind my own magic." She folded her arms. "Besssides, you've got to keep your ssspiritsss up ssso you can get to the bottom of thisss ssstupid myssstery and we can go back to Daybreak."

Radiant Dawn nodded, wiping away a few stray tears. "Yes—you're right," she said. Tanith was right. Despite how badly it hurt, she could not let a pony's dislike of her distract her from what she was doing here. The safety and security of Pelopponysus was on the line. She sat up straighter. "I'm really suspicious of Eclipse," she said, "despite what Ironclad thinks. Yes, she didn't lie about anything, but my spell doesn't catch if a pony is dancing around the truth, or outright avoiding subjects they'll have to lie about."

"I don't trussst her either," Tanith said. "Anypony who's that interesssted in Sssombra has got to be bad news. And she can't ssseem to leave you alone, either. Ssseems she's got sssomething of a fixation with power."

"Which gives her the right motives," Radiant Dawn said. "But we don't have anything yet that would really pin her as the source of all of this dissent. We'll have to keep investigating."

Tanith curled her coils around herself, resting atop them and propping her head up in her talons. "And we'll do thisss by attending a foal's cute-ceañera?"

Radiant Dawn chuckled. "I'm sorry, but I told Cirrus we'd be there. Besides, you never know what we might find out while we're there. I know Ironclad wants us to start at the top ranks and work our way down, but I think we should try to approach the problem from every angle possible."

Tanith nodded. "I sssee the logic in that. At any rate, there will probably be more food there, and I can't sssay no to that."

The alicorn laughed. "I'm sure there will be plenty of food."

"Do you need to talk more?" Tanith asked.

Radiant Dawn shook her head. "I think I got it all off my chest… thank you, Tanith. You did me a great service." She paused. "Sometimes… sometimes other ponies don't really realize that alicorns need them. They think we're emotionless deities. But that's definitely not true. We need friends and family just as much as every other pony."

"And you'll get them, sssomeday," Tanith said, putting a hand on Radiant Dawn's head. "But don't give up and ssspend your time trying to please jerks. It'sss not worth it—take it from me."

"I won't give up," Radiant Dawn said. "And neither should you. I'm sure there's a family out there for you, too."

Tanith paused. "I… I hope ssso, Radiant Dawn," she said, withdrawing her hand. "Tell me… does hope make you happy?"

"It does," the alicorn said. "Because even if life isn't going right at the moment, I can be happy believing that it won't last forever. That things will get better."

"I'll have to try that," Tanith said. "Thank you. Good night, Radiant Dawn. Sleep well. You'll need it."

"You too," Radiant Dawn said with a nod. The lamia left and closed the door behind her, and Radiant Dawn curled up on the bed. Although today had been rough, Tanith's words had really encouraged and comforted her. The princess fell asleep feeling like this was how she could tell who her true friends were.

She spent the next morning continuing to meet with Pelopponysian officers, Tanith by her side. Again, none of them lied about their loyalty to the state or Cloudkicker. A few were curious about Radiant Dawn's being an alicorn, which reminded her unpleasantly of Eclipse, but the princess knew that most ponies would naturally be curious about a powerful type of pony they had never seen before.

And Ironclad was taciturn as usual, but Radiant Dawn would not let it affect her so badly this time around. Tanith was right—if he was going to act like this, then he was not the sort of pony Radiant Dawn wanted to seek friendship from anyway. She would just do her job and then let him get back to his.

That afternoon, however, she finally got a break from trying to remember so many names and titles and mentally sort out who thought what about this-and-that political situation, and attended Cirrus's cute-ceañera. It was held on a wide field of cloud where tables of food had been set up. Foals laughed as they ran and flew and chased each other, while their parents chatted. It cheered Radiant Dawn to see that the ponies of Pelopponysus were not always somber and military-minded. Although she did think the city overall could use more lightening up.

Ironclad had forgone his armor for the occasion, although his size and bulk alone meant he still looked plenty imposing. He stared out at the party, and when he caught his sister's eyes, the two exchanged a smile and a wave.

"Yay, you're here!" Cirrus said, zooming over to her uncle and his two companions. "Sit right over here!" She led them to a table, turning loops in the air as she went, forming wispy clouds in her path.

Radiant Dawn forced herself to keep smiling as she sat next to Ironclad. She had been planning to spend most of her time elsewhere, because she knew he did not want her around.

"Thanks for coming, Your Highness!" Cirrus said. She pushed a bowl toward the princess. "Try this salad—it's my favorite!"

Radiant Dawn could not stay upset for the long in the presence of foals, though. "I would love to!" she said, using her magic to reach for the bowl and start dishing salad onto her plate. "I'm sure if it's your favorite, it's got to be delicious!"

Cirrus's eyes widened when she saw the alicorn's horn glow white. "Oh neat—look, Nimbus, she's using magic!"

Her brother's head popped up on the other side of the table. "No waaaaay!" he squeaked. "Look at that! Awesome!"

Radiant Dawn grinned self-consciously. "What other foods do you recommend?" she asked as more and more foals began to flock around her.

"Try the cake—my mother baked it!" somepony said.

"And the roasted carrots, don't forget about those!" said another.

"I'll go get you some candy apples, Your Highness!" somepony else said.

A mare pushed through the throng to dish herself up some salad. "All right, out of the way," she said to the foals, sounding rather exasperated. "The princess doesn't need you crowding her and bothering her with all that noise." Ironclad shot her a disapproving glare, and the mare shrunk back a bit.

Radiant Dawn disguised her disappointment in the mare's actions with a friendly smile. "That's all right," she said. "I love foals. I used to be a schoolteacher before I became an alicorn."

Ironclad glanced over at her, and she watched him warily, wondering if he would have any sort of smart remark for that. He didn't, as he went back to munching on his roasted carrot, staring at the festivities around them.

"Your Highness, ma'am?" Nimbus tugged at Radiant Dawn's wing. "Can we play with the lamia?"

Radiant Dawn looked up at Tanith, who was busy gorging herself on fruit, and chuckled. "It's not really up to me," she said. "Why don't you ask her nicely? Her name is Tanith."

"Miss Lamia Tanith?" Nimbus asked as the foals began to gravitate toward her. "Can we please please please play with you?"

Tanith looked down at them, then glanced over at Radiant Dawn who gave her an encouraging smile, then back to the foals. "Play with me?" she asked. "How? I don't know any games."

"I, um, I want to use your tail as a slide," Nimbus said. "It looks fun."

Tanith looked behind her at the iridescent-black, sinuous curves of her tail. "I sssuppose I never thought of my tail as a ssslide," she said. "All right… I guessss I've got nothing better to do." Using her shadow magic, she slithered over to a more open space and let Nimbus climb onto her tail. Then, she arched high, sending him sliding down into a puffy bank of cloud, shrieking with glee the whole way.

"That was fantastic!" he said as he popped his head out of the cloud where he had landed. "Again, again!"

"Me too!" another foal said, and then they all wanted a turn—at once, of course.

Tanith's eyes widened, and then she snickered. "Fine, fine," she said. "Don't push, there's room enough for all of you." She curved her tail into a larger arch so that she could accommodate more foals at once.

Radiant Dawn watched and laughed. It was a relief to see the lamia do something besides mope and mouth off. She didn't think Tanith was really all that bad at her core—she'd just made some bad choices. It was wonderful to see more of the lamia's true self coming through.

Beside her, Ironclad cleared his throat. "Er—Your Highness?"

She turned to him. "Yes?"

His ears were pinned back, and he seemed to search around with his eyes, unable to meet her gaze. "I… think I may have misjudged you," he said, "and I'm sorry."

For a moment Radiant Dawn stared at him, unable to believe what she was hearing. "I forgive you," she said. "I know this assignment is hard on you. I'm the one who should be apologizing."

The general shook his head. "No—you're not to blame at all. Nothing excuses how I've been treating you lately, and I'm so, so sorry for it. I've been terrible to you."

"Well, I can understand why you've been so upset," Radiant Dawn said. "You must be really devoted to your legions."

"I am," Ironclad said. "I'm—I'm not married… so my troops have sort of become my family to me." He rubbed his foreleg with his hoof. "I know it's not nearly the same, but I've just got to have somepony to look out for. If I can't stand any of the mares around here, I might as well put all that drive into caring for my subordinates."

The pieces began to come together better in Radiant Dawn's mind. "That explains why you've been so distressed over this assignment," she said. "Of course you wouldn't want to be taken away from your troops." He nodded. "Are Pelopponysian mares really that bad?" the princess asked with a bit of an amused grin. "Your sister seems awfully nice." She looked over to where Nebula was serving Cirrus a slice of cake.

"She is," Ironclad said. "She's a total sweetheart. But she's the exception to the rule. All the other mares I seem to come in contact with are petty and annoying, only caring about their looks or how much gossip they can spread. And most of them are argumentative and abrasive—they turn everything into a debate, and all they want out of a relationship is to be right all the time." He scowled. "I'm not putting myself through that."

"And I don't think you ever should," Radiant Dawn said. "Definitely not. They—they don't deserve you."

Ironclad glanced over at her. "Thanks," he said. "I've been trying to find a way to convince myself of that without giving myself a big head. It's hard."

"There's nothing wrong with looking out for yourself," Radiant Dawn said with a smile. "Besides… I know how much you care about your family. You've got to make sure to give them an aunt and a sister-in-law who will be good to them, too."

"Ah, I hadn't thought of it like that," Ironclad said, sitting up straighter. "I think you're right. I've got to look out for them, as well."

Radiant Dawn's heart leaped. He'd actually not shot down one of her suggestions or opinions.

The general took another ponderous bite of his carrot. "Did you really used to be a schoolteacher?" he asked.

The princess nodded. "Long ago," she said. "Back when I was still a unicorn. Things in my kingdom were… well, they were pretty bad," she said, looking over at Tanith. The lamia had coiled herself into loops that the pegasus foals were flying through. "But I loved my students, and I wanted to be a source of light and hope for them when nopony else could or would." She could still remember every pony in that last class she taught. She closed her eyes, seeing them in her mind. She would always remember them.

"You used to be a unicorn?" Ironclad asked. "I always thought alicorns were born alicorns."

"Not that I know of," Radiant Dawn said. "Princess Mi Amore Cadenza was born a pegasus. Becoming an alicorn is a gift that Celestia bestows upon a pony who… who has proven her worthiness to rule."

Ironclad raised an eyebrow. "Was that when you ousted the lamia tyrant from your kingdom?" Radiant Dawn nodded, and he smiled. "I can see you've got quite a bit of warrior spirit in you," he said.

"Really?" Radiant Dawn asked. "Usually most ponies assume I'm a pushover… I suppose because I try to be kind."

"It takes a great deal of strength to be truly kind," Ironclad said. "I saw how you stood up to Cloudkicker when she wanted you to interrogate the prisoners—and I admit I feel that she overstepped some bounds there. And—I've been well aware of how you've been nothing but polite to me, even when I was so awful to you. That really says a lot about your inner strength." He shook his head. "I just wish I hadn't done that to you in the first place. I'm really kicking myself for it now."

"You were hurting," Radiant Dawn said. "And you don't like what you did and you want to do better. So don't worry about it."

"You are far more merciful than I deserve," Ironclad said. He watched the foals at play for a moment, then looked back to the princess. "I really misjudged you, and it wasn't your fault. It was mostly because you're an alicorn. It was too easy for me to assume that you'd be just as self-righteous and judgmental as Celestia."

Radiant Dawn's eyebrows peaked. "Celestia isn't like that at all," she said. "She's so kind and loving and understanding. I'm well acquainted with her, and I've never heard her say a bad thing about anypony. I really look up to her. She's my role model."

Ironclad gave her a long look. "If she's your role model," he said, "then she can't be all that bad. Maybe I'm the one being judgmental…" He sighed. "Canterlot and Pelopponysus have never been on good terms. Celestia keeps pushing for us to be more like the rest of Equestria. We think we're fine just the way we are."

Chewing on the inside of his mouth, he looked up at the sky. "I remember her last visit to our city—it was when I was younger and had just joined the Legion. She told Cloudkicker that we shouldn't take life so seriously, and that we should try to get along with the lamiae instead of fight with them." He grimaced. "So of course when you started saying those sorts of things, it touched a raw nerve. But I'm not excusing my reactions, just explaining them."

"That does explain a lot," Radiant Dawn said. It also put Cloudkicker's responses into context. She still felt that things were off in Pelopponysus, but she also knew the pegasi would not respond well to her preaching to them to change their ways. Perhaps there was some other way to get through to them—such as friendship. "Well, I'm sorry I inadvertently offended you and Cloudkicker," she said. "I never meant to."

"It's not your fault we were offended," Ironclad said. "I'm the only pony here who truly has cause to be sorry."

"Miss Princess?" a young voice asked. Cirrus had seated herself next to Radiant Dawn. "I really like your cutie mark!" the pegasus said. "What's your special talent?"

Radiant Dawn chuckled and looked down at the rising sun on her flank. "My special talent is helping other ponies be happy," she said. "I guess that's a pretty fitting one for the Princess of Happiness." She looked over at Ironclad's cutie mark, an image of an ornate sword. "What about you, General?" she asked.

He smiled. "My special talent is fighting valiantly to defend those I care about. I still remember the day I earned it. I stood up to some bullies who were pestering Nebula at school. That was when I realized… how badly I want to be there for everypony who needs me."

"I think that's wonderful," Radiant Dawn said. No wonder Ironclad had been so distraught by being taken away from his troops, especially to help a pony that he didn't think needed his help. It went against his very nature. That was why it spoke volumes that he had noticed his poor attitude and done something about it.

"I'm glad you're here, Miss Princess," Cirrus said. "Could you help the grown-up ponies learn to be happy?" She looked around at the other pegasi. "They can get kinda grouchy sometimes."

Radiant Dawn thought for a moment, pondering all she knew about Pelopponysian culture. "I can certainly try," she said. "But just remember that they're not grouchy because they don't love you. They care very much about you, and they just want to keep you safe."

Cirrus nodded. "Thanks for never being grouchy with me, Uncle Ironclad. You're always happy to see me and Nimbus."

"Of course I am," Ironclad said with a smile. "You're my favorite niece and nephew."

"We're your only niece and nephew," Cirrus said with a bit of an eye-roll.

Ironclad grinned. "Then you'll just have to put up with all of my doting," he said.

"Hey, Cirrus!" another foal shouted. "C'mon, we're gonna play pin the tail on the griffon!"

"Coming!" Cirrus said, flittering into the air.

Ironclad watched her leave, then turned back to Radiant Dawn. "Can—can we please start over, Your Highness?" he asked. Bowing low, he extended a hoof to the alicorn. "I'm General Ironclad. It's an honor to make your acquaintance."

Radiant Dawn smiled and shook it. "It's an honor to meet you, General," she said. "You've served your state well. And—I look forward to having your assistance with my task."

"Me too," Ironclad said. He glanced around at the rest of the party and cleared his throat a bit. "Er—and I was wondering—" He stared down at his hooves. "No offense, but I've noticed you aren't the best flyer… and I'm so sorry that I didn't keep pace with you better before."

"Thank you," Radiant Dawn said. "No offense taken. I'm really not that great of a flyer at all."

Ironclad offered her a sympathetic smile. "I don't know if I can ever fully make up to you how I've treated you over the past two days," he said, "but I want to at least try. Could—would you like me to give you some flying pointers this evening, after dinner? Are you averse to night flying?"

"I'm sure I'm no better or worse at night," Radiant Dawn said with a bashful grin. Her heart felt like it could leap out of her chest. "I would really appreciate some flying lessons. Thank you. But—please don't worry about trying to make anything up to me. I forgive you, I promise."

"Thank you," Ironclad said, "but I have to make things right inside myself. I cannot let my offenses to you go unrepaired. It is a matter of chivalry."

The princess couldn't stop smiling. He was everything she'd perceived him to be, and more. "I wish everypony was as chivalrous as you, General," she said.

"Yes, well, I have not exactly been living up to that lately," he said. "I'll try my hardest to make it up to you. Shall we go right after dinner? Cloudkicker is having another banquet."

Radiant Dawn nodded. "Sounds good. I'm sure Tanith won't mind doing some… eavesdropping for me while I'm away." She looked over to the lamia, who was now playing pin the tail on the griffon with the foals. Her aim was way off, but she seemed more amused by this than anything else.

"You know… she's really not that bad once you get to know her," the alicorn said. "She was hurt in the past, and she reacted to it by lashing out at others… I think that's something most ponies can understand."

Ironclad nodded. "I suppose one could find common ground with just about any creature in Equestria." Frowning, he sighed. "Although that does not excuse when the lamiae attack our communities to feed on our citizens' despair."

"Certainly not," Radiant Dawn said. "I just wish there was a way to resolve things peacefully for both races."

"Your idealism is noble," Ironclad said. "Don't give up on it. It's—it's ponies like you who are so vital to this world."

The alicorn stared at him for a moment. "Thank you," she said. "I could say the same for you."

As they sat and chatted and enjoyed all of the food the foals recommended, Radiant Dawn felt the most wonderful happiness spreading within her. For the first time in a long, long time, she finally felt like she had friends. And something about winning Ironclad over just felt good. This was the real pony lurking beneath his severe exterior, and Radiant Dawn liked him more and more with each passing moment.


	7. Chapter 7

"What's gotten you in sssuch good ssspiritsss?" Tanith asked her alicorn companion as they made their way to the banquet that night. "You're walking on air." She glanced down at the cloudy floor. "Both figuratively and literally."

It was true. Radiant Dawn couldn't wipe the dreamy smile from her muzzle. Vaguely she felt like maybe she should be taking this situation more seriously, but she was euphoric. She felt happier than she had in ages. "Ironclad's really wonderful," she said. It came out with more of a wistful sigh than perhaps she meant it to, but again she found it hard to care.

Tanith wrinkled her nose. "Excuse me? Ironclad? The pony who treated you like garbage jussst yesssterday?"

"He was just upset," Radiant Dawn said. "We've got it all worked out now." She had to fight to keep from prancing down the corridors. A princess had to keep up a certain decorum among other ponies, after all. "And—and he wants to give me some flying lessons after dinner."

The lamia's eyes narrowed. "I jussst want you to be more careful than thisss," she said. "What if he's the one instigating all this subversion? Don't let your emotions cloud your vision, Radiant Dawn."

The alicorn paused and frowned. "I—I'm not," she insisted. "Can't you just be happy for me, please? Not everything has to have a negative spin on it. As a matter of fact, most things don't."

Tanith looked as though she wanted to give a pointed retort, but instead her shoulders sagged. "I'm jussst… worried about you," she said. "I don't want you getting hurt… like I did."

"Oh," Radiant Dawn said. She looked up at her companion and realized how far Tanith had come, to the point that she was now actually concerned about another's well-being.

"We've both ssseen thisss Ironclad at his worssst," Tanith continued, her long tongue flicking out. "How can you posssssibly like anypony who can be ssso abrasssive?"

Radiant Dawn thought for a moment. "Because… because an important part of being happy is focusing on the good in other creatures. If all you think about is how they've wronged you, you're just going to get more and more frustrated with them. It's important to give everypony a second chance." She looked Tanith in the eye. "Do you know what I see when I look at you?"

Tanith grimaced and rubbed one arm. "The former tyrant ruler of your kingdom? A lamia who hated ponies and never wanted to sssee them happy?"

The alicorn shook her head. "I see a friend," she said, "who cares about me. I've forgiven you, Tanith. And I've forgiven Ironclad. Life's so much happier when you forgive and celebrate ponies and other creatures being the best they can be."

For a moment, Tanith seemed to chew on this. Finally, she sighed. "Jussst… don't go and get your heart broken, okay?" she asked as she began to propel herself down the hall again. "I couldn't ssstand to sssee sssomething like that happen to you."

"I won't," Radiant Dawn said. "But I'm also not going to push away things that seem too good to be true. And I don't think you should, either." Frankly, she was just glad she and Ironclad were on much better terms now. It would make sorting out this political tangle so much less stressful.

"I'll try," Tanith muttered.

Dinner went much better than last night. Radiant Dawn and Ironclad spent most of the time chatting with each other, although Radiant Dawn kept a close eye on the other officers, trying to pick apart their words and actions for any hint of sedition. Still nothing. She honestly would have thought Cloudkicker was making the whole thing up, if not for the protesters.

Tomorrow, she decided, she would have to tour the city again to try to gain more insight. But for now, she had some flying lessons to attend.

"So why aren't you that confident in your flying?" Ironclad asked as he led Radiant Dawn to the training grounds. The vast complex was deserted in the dark of night, its tracks and hoops bathed in the silver light of the moon. The Mare in the Moon seemed to stare down enviously at the inhabitants of Equestria, and as the two flew beneath the starry sky, Radiant Dawn remembered the conversation she had had with Celestia just a few days ago. She hoped someday Celestia would be reunited with her family.

"Ah… well, I was born a unicorn," Radiant Dawn said. "And when I got my wings… I don't know—I guess I've always sort of felt like a… well, like a phony. Like I'm not… worthy to be a good flier the way pegasi are."

Ironclad gave her a penetrating look. "You know what I think?" he asked as they touched down on a cloud in the middle of the training grounds. "You're an alicorn. That means you're not a unicorn or a pegasus, right?" He smiled. "So don't worry about comparing yourself to us. You be yourself."

Radiant Dawn grinned. "Thanks. I'll certainly try."

"I've noticed you don't really use your wings much," Ironclad said. He spread his own wings and began flexing them, stretching and curling his feathers. "You know you can use them as appendages, right?" Reaching down with one wing, he scooped up a clump of cloud.

Radiant Dawn stretched out one of her own wings and examined the pointed feathers. "I suppose I hadn't really thought of that," she said. "I mean, I've seen pegasi use their wings like that before, but… it never occurred to me that I could do the same thing." Squinting, she twitched her feathers, trying to get them to move like Ironclad's, but they merely wriggled weakly. It didn't help that she so instinctively used magic for everything.

He chuckled a little. "You'll get it with time and practice, I'm sure," he said. "But right now I'm more concerned about your speed and endurance."

"Oh—I'm not sure I could ever fly as fast as you," Radiant Dawn said.

"Don't worry about that," Ironclad said. "I just want you to feel more confident in your own flying. I mean—if you want to. I'm not trying to be pushy."

"I would appreciate it," Radiant Dawn said, spreading her wings wide. "What do I need to do?"

For the next while, Ironclad showed her the ropes of flying. He taught her wing exercises, showed her how to maneuver better in the air, and passed on his techniques for achieving higher speeds. Radiant Dawn was grateful, but at the same time she was astonished at the general's endurance. When she felt exhausted, he seemed to just be getting started.

Thankfully, he noticed her fatigue and called a break. "Do you think I'm improving any?" Radiant Dawn asked as they leaped onto a nearby cloud.

Ironclad nodded. "Yes, you're doing great!" he said. "Let me know if you'd ever like more flying lessons, or just want somepony to go on a good fly with. It's more fun with a friend."

"I think so, too," Radiant Dawn said with a smile. "We'll have to do this again before—before I leave." Suddenly, for the first time, she felt torn about going home. Of course she missed her kingdom dearly, and wanted to get back to overseeing her subjects, but she actually had a friend in Pelopponysus now. She would miss him when she left.

Ironclad seemed to be thinking the same thing, as his expression fell. He looked out at the clouds for a moment, then cleared his throat. "I like your wings and horn," he said. "They're different from Celestia's."

Radiant Dawn glanced upward. Although she could not see it, her horn curved out from her forehead like a blade, rather unlike any other unicorn's horn. "Thank you," she said. "It used to confuse me, but then I did some family history research, and I discovered that one of my ancestors was a quilin."

Ironclad's eyes widened. "That's incredible," he said. "The quilin are long gone, but many moons ago, before Celestia's and Luna's ascension to the throne, the Quilin Empire was a mighty nation of magical warriors. They had many conflicts with the pegasi armies. I've heard tales about how incredible their fighting spirit was." He grinned. "So knowing that you're descended from them doesn't surprise me."

The alicorn blushed. "Thanks," she said. "I hope my quilin ancestors would be proud of me."

"I think they would," Ironclad said. He chewed on the inside of his cheek. "Ah… did you know King Early Light?" he asked.

Radiant Dawn started to shake her head, then paused. "Well—sort of," she said. "He'd been gone for a while before I was born. But… I met his ghost. It was just before I took back Daybreak. He led me to a record he had kept that helped me figure out how to defeat Tanith."

"What was he like?" Ironclad asked in awe.

"He seemed noble and strong, but kind," Radiant Dawn said. She closed her eyes to try to remember everything she could about her brief encounters with the previous ruler of Daybreak. "You remind me of him a little, actually."

Ironclad blinked. "Really? Because I'm one of his descendants."

Now it was Radiant Dawn's turn to be surprised. Her jaw dropped. "I never thought Early Light had descendants," she said.

The pegasus nodded. "He and his wife had several foals, but they were all grown by the time Tanith invaded. My something-great-grandmare married a Pelopponysian stallion. When she heard of Daybreak's fall and her father's defeat, she begged the current commander of Pelopponysus to help, but he refused, not wanting to weaken his troops when there were lamiae to keep at bay here. At least, that's the story that's been passed down over the moons."

Radiant Dawn smiled. "You know… it fits," she said. "There is something noble about you. I'm glad I met you. I'm glad we're friends."

"Me too," Ironclad said. "You won't forget me when you return to Daybreak, will you?"

"Definitely not," Radiant Dawn said. "I'll have to come to Pelopponysus more often. And you're always invited to visit Daybreak. Do you like donuts?"

"What are donuts?" Ironclad asked.

Radiant Dawn grinned. "You're in for a delicious surprise."

On the flight back to the fortress, she described Daybreak to the general, telling him all about how ponies there specialized in happiness, and all the wonderful things there were to see and do in her kingdom. By the time they reached the hall of guest quarters, she had gotten him sufficiently excited.

"And you'll have to bring your family, too!" Radiant Dawn said. "I'm sure they would love it!"

"Of course!" Ironclad said. "I imagine Cirrus and Nimbus would just go crazy for this 'cotton candy' thing!"

Radiant Dawn's emotions were mixed, all told. She was happy for the prospect of having a friend that she could spend time with on occasion—but the "on occasion" part still ate at her. She knew she should just be grateful that she'd found somepony she actually connected with, but this was not the same as the family she so desperately wished for. Still, any progress was good progress.

The door to Tanith's room swung open and the lamia coursed out on a bed of shadow magic. "There you are," she hissed, her golden eyes wide. "Get over here, both of you—right now." Not giving them time to respond, she grabbed one of them under each arm and pulled them into her room.

"Tanith, what's wrong?" Radiant Dawn asked as the lamia set them down on the rug. Ironclad glowered up at the creature as he smoothed back his mane.

Tanith shut the door and slithered over to them. "While you were out on your date," she said, "I overheard sssomepony sssay that they sssaw Legate Blue Jet provide a protessster with pamphletsss."

Both ponies stared at each other before looking back to the lamia. "I don't understand," Ironclad said. "Blue Jet has no reason to betray Cloudkicker." He frowned. "What if you're lying?"

"I believe you," Radiant Dawn said to Tanith before turning to the General. "Ironclad, Tanith is my friend. I trust her. Can you trust her, too?"

The pegasus searched her face, then nodded. "Yes," he said. "This… could be our best lead. At any rate, you can use that truth-telling spell, right?"

Radiant Dawn's horn flared. "All we'll have to do is ask the right questions," she said. "Let's go, now." Again her emotions spun. Finally, they'd had a breakthrough, and she could accomplish her mission here. But that would mean having to say goodbye to Ironclad. She swallowed hard. Staying here with him was not as important as doing her duty.

With Ironclad leading the way, the three found Cloudkicker and told her what Tanith had found out. The commander summoned a squadron of guards, and together they made their way to Blue Jet's house, trying to look like this official visit was not an arrest.

Cloudkicker rapped a hoof on Blue Jet's door. Red Sprite answered. "Hello, Commander," she said with a friendly smile, although her expression turned confused at the presence of the others. "What's the occasion?"

Behind her, Blue Jet, Eclipse, and several other officers sat in the parlor, playing some sort of board game. Eclipse gave Radiant Dawn a wave, which Radiant Dawn halfheartedly returned. That pony still gave her the creeps, and honestly the alicorn was surprised that Eclipse wasn't behind all this.

"I'd just like to check up on one of my legates," Cloudkicker said, edging past the tribune. "Blue Jet, you've been working very hard lately. I appreciate your tireless efforts on my behalf."

"Of course, Commander!" Blue Jet said, standing up and saluting with one wing. "I'd do anything for you!"

An unmistakable feeling slammed into Radiant Dawn from the spell she was using, and she knew she had to say something. "She's lying," the alicorn said.

Instantly Blue Jet's expression changed, from one of confidence to fear—and the look of somepony who knows she's slipped up. "N-no I'm not!" she said. "I'm loyal to Cloudkicker, I swear!"

Radiant Dawn dismissed the cloaking on her spell, letting her horn shine white. It flashed red as the legate spoke. "My magic says otherwise," the alicorn said.

"Legate, you're under arrest," Cloudkicker said. Her guards stepped forward and seized the blue pegasus. "Or should I say, former Legate. Consider yourself dishonorably discharged."

Blue Jet flailed in the guards' grip and looked over her shoulder at the other officers, who seemed utterly shocked and confused. "Wait!" she yelled. "It's Eclipse—she's behind all this! She's the one you really want!"

The dark pegasus gasped. "How dare you?!" she said. "After all I've done for this nation?! Cloudkicker, you know I've always looked out for Pelopponysus!"

Radiant Dawn's horn stayed white, and the alicorn found herself feeling a little disappointed, but she dismissed the thought. There were other things at hand to deal with.

"Take her to the dungeons," Cloudkicker said. The guards left with Blue Jet kicking and screaming.

Radiant Dawn grimaced. "I don't mean to question you, Commander," she said, "but what are you going to do now? It seems as though she's managed to get dangerous ideas in the heads of quite a few ponies. They won't like that their leader has been arrested and incarcerated."

"I know," Cloudkicker said. "Tomorrow, I'll give a speech explaining the whole thing to everypony. Perhaps winning back their trust will be difficult… but it is a battle I must fight."

"I'll be right there with you, Commander," Ironclad said. "If anypony can vouch for you, it's me."

"I'd like to help, too," Radiant Dawn said, nearly before Ironclad finished speaking. "I know your ponies aren't very fond of alicorns… but you may need a little magic on your side if things turn ugly."

"I appreciate that, both of you," Cloudkicker said. "Get some rest tonight. We've got some cleaning up to do tomorrow."

"Don't think I'm going to missss out on thisss," Tanith said as she, the princess, and the general made their way back to the fortress.

"I would love to have you there," Radiant Dawn said. "Your magic is powerful as well. I just hope we won't have to use it."

Ironclad let out a sigh. "I'm just glad it's over," he said. "Now we can get back to business as usual…" His voice trailed off and he looked aside. He flapped his wings a little to gain some altitude as they made the climb to the fortress. "Although… I did really enjoy spending time with you, Your Highness. I wish that part could have lasted longer."

"Me too," Radiant Dawn said. "And—you don't need to be so formal. You can call me Ray. Some friends of mine did, long ago."

Ironclad smiled. "Thanks, Ray."

* * *

The next morning, Cloudkicker delivered her address in the courtyard of the fortress. Pegasi were packed into the space from wall to wall, including a good number hovering in the air and perched on the parapets.

A platform had been set up in the courtyard, and it was here that Cloudkicker stood to give her speech, speaking into a horn of cloud that amplified her voice. Radiant Dawn, Ironclad, and Tanith stood nearby, along with the other generals and many of the legates.

"Friends, pegasi, countryponies!" Cloudkicker said, her voice booming through the sky. "I have called you here today to address a growing dissent among our state!" Murmurs of alarm spread through the crowd. "I understand that some ponies are unhappy with the way I run things," she continued. "Legate Blue Jet has been spreading lies about my motives! She claims that I am only interested in taking power for myself, and I don't care about the ponies I serve! I am here to assure you all that that is not the case!"

As the commander spoke, Radiant Dawn watched her audience carefully, trying to discern if anypony would try to attack their leader. Many ponies looked quite upset, but it was hard to say if they were angry about Blue Jet's betrayal or angry at Cloudkicker for arresting her.

"How are you doing?" Ironclad whispered.

"Good," Radiant Dawn said. "How about you?"

"Just fine," Ironclad said. "Looking forward to lunch after this."

"I suppose—I'll have to go back to Daybreak afterward," Radiant Dawn said.

"I suppose so," Ironclad said. Neither of them were too happy about it.

"And with the cooperation of everypony in Pelopponysus," Cloudkicker was saying, "we can make sure that a disruption like this does not happen again—"

Suddenly, Eclipse started stomping her hooves in applause. "I agree, Commander," she said with a grin. "Oh yes, I couldn't agree more."

Cloudkicker looked over her shoulder at the legate with a confused smile. "Thank you, Eclipse," she said, "but I'm not done yet."

"Yes, you are," Eclipse said, her grin spreading. "You're done with your speech. You're done keeping Pelopponysus under your hoof. You're done, former Commander Cloudkicker."

Tribune Red Sprite and General Galeforce jumped up and grabbed their commander.


	8. Chapter 8

Radiant Dawn's stomach dropped. How could this be?

"What are you doing?!" Cloudkicker whinnied, flailing her hooves in an attempt to get her subordinates off of her. "Eclipse—I thought Legate Blue Jet—"

"She was working for me!" Eclipse said with a grin so wide it now qualified as maniacal. She laughed. "I did it, I fooled you all! I nearly can't believe it—but I knew I was smarter than you barbaric lot!" She pushed past Cloudkicker and grabbed the cloud-horn. "Ponies! Rise up against your oppressor and all those loyal to her! They must be stopped! Seize your freedom!"

The audience suddenly erupted into chaos. A disturbingly large number of pegasi responded with enthusiasm to Eclipse, and they were immediately embroiled in fighting with the pegasi who still wanted to believe in Cloudkicker's leadership.

Several ponies tried to grab Radiant Dawn and her companions, but the alicorn threw up a shielding spell that their attackers bounced off of. Tanith threw out globs of dark magic at them, but swarms of pegasi were converging on them, more than she could fight off.

"Eclipse!" Ironclad roared, charging toward her. "How could you?!"

"Because I have the vision you lack!" she said, kicking out at him. He deftly evaded her blows and reared up to knock her down—and was tackled by three other pegasi. Despite his size and strength, they were able to keep him from lunging at their leader.

"Ironclad!" Radiant Dawn neighed. Keeping her shield up, she leaped to his aid.

Suddenly her shield cracked and broke, followed by a mental recoil that made the alicorn sick to her stomach. While she was still wondering what happened, a piercing pain filled her horn. It somehow disoriented her, and she got tangled in her own legs and fell.

As she scrambled to get back to her feet, Eclipse and a few other ponies pounced on her. "It worked!" Eclipse cackled as her cohorts bound Radiant Dawn's wings to her sides. "It really worked! After all those moons, they haven't lost their power!"

"Wh-what are you talking about?!" Radiant Dawn gasped, struggling in vain to get free. Amid the melee, she could see Ironclad being tied up too, as well as Cloudkicker, Whistler Wave, and a few other officers.

"Sombra's crystals." Eclipse reached out and touched the alicorn's horn, and somehow that action filled it with a reverberating pain that made Radiant Dawn shudder. "They have the power to nullify unicorn magic when they're embedded in somepony's horn. I was wondering if it would work on alicorns, too! Hah! You look like a fool with those shards stuck in your horn!"

Desperately, Radiant Dawn looked around for something that could help her. Past hordes of fighting ponies, she saw Tanith. The lamia's magic was still going strong as she fought off pegasi, but she had become separated from her pony companions. "Tanith!" the princess whinnied. "Help!"

Tanith heard her and looked down, and hesitated. For one awful moment she bit her fangs into her lip—and then she turned and pushed herself the other way, creating a shockwave of magic as she plunged down into the clouds below.

Radiant Dawn felt as though she had been kicked in the face. She was still trying to process what had just happened as ponies dragged her to her feet and began pushing her toward the fortress. "Stop!" she said. "Stop listening to Eclipse, please! Do you really think she has your best interests at heart?"

"Who are you going to listen to," Eclipse asked, "your faithful friend, or a self-righteous alicorn who has the gall to come to our fair nation and tell us how to live?"

"Yeah, we don't want to hear any more out of you, alicorn!" a pegasus said. "We're tired of being bossed around!"

At that point Radiant Dawn decided that trying to say anything else would just make them angrier, so she decided to cut her losses for the time being. Tanith's betrayal still smarted even more than the crystals stuck in her horn.

The princess was promptly deposited in the dungeons, along with Ironclad, Cloudkicker, and the officers who had remained loyal to her. It turned out that Eclipse had gotten a surprising number of senior officers to turn against Cloudkicker—and Blue Jet had been a convenient scapegoat.

Ironclad, of course, was not about to take this sitting down, and for a good twenty minutes, he attacked every part of his cell, trying to find a weak point. Unfortunately, the dungeons were constructed of stone-lined cloud, so they were not so easily compromised.

Finally his strength gave out and he slumped to the floor, breathing hard, pawing the stone with one hoof, his green eyes burning fiercely as he glowered at nothing in particular.

Radiant Dawn watched him from her cell across the corridor. "I'm sorry," she said.

He looked up at her and the expression on his muzzle immediately switched to concern. "It's not your fault," he said. "None of this was your fault. If anything, I should have been more vigilant. I should have listened to you when you'd had a bad feeling about Eclipse."

"Don't blame yourself," Radiant Dawn said. "I don't think any of us could have fully predicted this."

The sound of hooves clopping on stone caused them to fall silent. Eclipse swaggered toward them, head held high. "I trust you're finding the arrangements comfortable, Your Highness," she said, turning to the princess. "Oh wait—I don't care."

"You leave her alone!" Ironclad said, kicking his hind hooves against the bars of his cell. They reverberated with jarring clangs, but held fast.

Eclipse looked over her shoulder at the general. "You think you're so great," she sneered. "You were wrong! I'm greater than you all!" She looked back to Radiant Dawn. "I even outsmarted an alicorn! Hah! I'll never be forgotten in the history books now!"

Radiant Dawn searched her face. "I don't understand," she said. "How did you come across as innocent?"

"I never lied in front of you," Eclipse said. "I figured you were probably using a truth-telling spell, so I told everypony else to watch what they said as well. Blue Jet had an unfortunate slip of the tongue, but her arrest was just what I needed to stir everypony else up." She grinned, her white teeth contrasting with her dark coat. "So it really worked out even better for me in the end."

"Eclipse, let her go!" Ironclad said. "She's not one of us—she has a kingdom to govern!"

"Oh, please, I'm not stupid!" Eclipse said. "She'll report this straight to Celestia! I can't have that snobby sun-alicorn messing things up for me now!"

"Celestia will find out sooner or later," Radiant Dawn said.

"Oh, I know," Eclipse said, clapping her hooves together. "But when she does, I'll be ready for her. I just need a little more time."

Radiant Dawn lowered her head, an instinctive unicorn action, as though she could actually do anything with her horn in this condition. Sombra's crystals were giving her a migraine and it was all she could do to stay standing through the dull pain. "Whatever you're planning," she said, "it won't work."

Eclipse's amber eyes gleamed maliciously. "Oh, I think it will," she said. "I've learned some interesting things in my travels, Radiant Dawn. I've ventured down paths of knowledge that most ponies fear to tread. And I've discovered old things that most ponies think should have been lost long ago."

"What are you getting at?" Cloudkicker hissed. "Just spit it out, you treasonous snake!"

"Well, since you're so curious," Eclipse said, grinning like a schoolfilly showing off her knowledge. "I've been working on a—a pet project, of sorts, in my spare time. When I haven't been feeding ponies reasons to get angry about your leadership, of course. I've been constructing a device that can transfer a unicorn's powers to a different kind of pony!" She spun around with a flutter of her wings. "Isn't that amazing?"

"I think it's horrible," Ironclad said.

"You have no imagination," Eclipse said. "I wouldn't expect you to understand. But I—I've always dreamed of being able to use magic like a unicorn. It's not fair that only one type of pony can! It gives them the ability to oppress the rest of us! But what if pegasi could use magic? What if _I_ could use magic?"

"I would never trust you with magic," Cloudkicker said.

Eclipse shot a glare at her. "You have no authority over me anymore," she said. "At any rate. I'd planned on finding a unicorn to test the device on—but then you foolishly came to Cloudkicker's aid, Your Highness, and I knew I had to seize my opportunity."

Radiant Dawn's stomach plummeted. "Please don't," she said.

"Why?" Eclipse snarled, starting to pace in front of the princess's cell. "So you can continue to tyrannize your kingdom of poor, 'underpowered' ponies? So you and Celestia can wrest my hard-earned power away from me?" She shook her head, sending her fiery mane flying. "No. When Celestia comes to call, I'll be able to face her on an equal playing field—using your magic powers."

"Eclipse!" Ironclad bucked the bars of his cell again, causing them to strain against their frame. "Don't you dare! That's like somepony taking away your wings!"

"It's not like that at all, Ironclad!" Eclipse said, whipping around to glare at him. "These alicorns are too powerful! They're unbalancing all of Equestria! We common ponies are the ones who deserve all the power!"

"Don't be such a moron!" Ironclad roared, rearing up to hit the bars with his front hooves. "That's the most hypocritical thing I've ever heard! If anypony's the tyrant here, it's you!"

"Shut it already!" Eclipse said. "I've heard enough from your big mouth! You simple-minded idiots would never understand the workings of a great mind such as myself! I deserve to rule Pelopponysia—maybe even all of Equestria! Soon, everypony will see that!" Seething, she turned back to Radiant Dawn. "The device will be ready soon," she said. "And then you'll get what's coming to you."

"Eclipse!" Ironclad yelled as the pegasus departed. "Get back here so I can knock some sense into you, Legate! Blast it!" He kicked the bars of his cell over and over.

Radiant Dawn sat on the cold stone of her own cell as what was going on sunk in. A madmare was going to take all of her power away and use it against Princess Celestia. She would never see Daybreak again. Tanith had deserted her. And this headache wouldn't go away. With a sob, she sunk to the floor, burying her muzzle in her hooves. This looked like the end.

The clanging of Ironclad's hooves against metal stopped. "Ray?" he asked in a softer tone. "Ray… I'm sorry. I'll get us out of this, don't worry."

She looked up at him bleary-eyed. "But… what if you can't?" she asked in a quavering whisper. "I… I've spent my whole life believing in happy endings… what if I won't get one?" The tears began to flow. "I want so badly to believe that good will prevail over evil, but what if I've been wrong this whole time? So many ponies are so tainted by greed and pride… it's made them so inhumane… she doesn't care how many lives she ruins or ponies she hurts to get what she wants…" She closed her eyes, sickened at the thought.

Ironclad sighed. "Ray, look at me." When she raised her head, he said, "You're the Princess of Happiness. You can't give up on happiness now. I know things look bad, but—but you believe in happiness for a reason, right? You're not stupid, you're not oblivious. You have a reason to believe. Goodness looks out for its own, Ray. You and Early Light proved that when you took back Daybreak."

Radiant Dawn sniffled. "Yes… you're right."

The pegasus stood up straighter. "And—don't ever think that your life has no value just because some very angry ponies think so. Their heads aren't on straight. You've been protected so far, and you've got to have faith that it will happen again." He paused. "And your life has value to me, too, Radiant Dawn. I'll fight until my dying breath to defend you. And then I'll come back as a ghost to keep you safe."

Hearing those words from him somehow made a world of difference. Radiant Dawn smiled past her tears. "You'd better not die," she said. "I'd miss you too much."

"I feel rather awkward listening in on this conversation," Cloudkicker said from her cell, "but I agree. Radiant Dawn, I know our situation is pretty bleak, but Celestia made you an alicorn for a reason. It doesn't happen to just anypony. I know you'll emerge from this victorious."

"Thank you, Commander," Radiant Dawn said. "Your confidence means a lot to me." She sat back up. "You're right. We mustn't give up. Let's not waste any time. I'm sure we can think of some way to set things right again." Thinking was rather hard for her right now due to her migraine, but she didn't want to admit that.

"I'll let you know if I think of anything, Ray," Ironclad said.

"Same," Cloudkicker said, folding her legs under her. "In the meantime, we ought to save our strength. These cells were inspected and reinforced just a few moons ago. I don't think even you could break out of them through sheer force, General."

Ironclad gave her a sheepish grin. "Well, it was worth a try," he said.

As she settled down on the floor of her cell, Radiant Dawn was reminded of a time much like this, many centuries ago, when she similarly felt trapped in a situation and didn't know the way out. But a way had come. Now she had to trust that would happen again.


	9. Chapter 9

The three sat in the dungeon for hours. Thankfully some of the cells had windows, so they could tell the time of day. Radiant Dawn felt that this would be even more agonizing if they didn't know how much time was passing.

At some point late in the afternoon, a few guards came in to give them water and hay. Ironclad harangued them ceaselessly, berating them for abandoning Cloudkicker and siding with Eclipse. He nearly bit a guard who got too close, so finally they just threw the hay at him and ran. He looked rather satisfied with this as they left.

The hay was stale, but Radiant Dawn ate as much of it as she could. She knew she had to keep up her strength so she could figure a way out of this, even though her headache was making her stomach sensitive as well.

But the hours did not pass in silence. The three political prisoners kept up their spirits by talking with one another, telling stories about their pasts and their families. Cloudkicker and Ironclad had many anecdotes from their service in the military, and Radiant Dawn told them about life in Daybreak and how happy everypony there was. She wondered if the pegasi could see that there was more to life than warfare.

"Eclipse wasn't always like this, was she?" Radiant Dawn asked as the sun set.

Cloudkicker shook her head. "She's always been more of an intellectual than the rest of us," she said, "but I think she really was loyal to me, once. Her pride must have gotten to her head until she believed that she was better fit to oversee Pelopponysus than me."

"Except now she's got her eye on all of Equestria," Ironclad grumbled, "and she keeps spouting nonsense about how alicorns are the bane of ponykind while wanting to give herself an alicorn's magic. She's on a power trip something awful. I can't believe how many pegasi actually listened to her—" With a snort, he clanged a hoof against the bars of his cell.

"I'm concerned that was my fault," Cloudkicker said. "I… perhaps I should have listened to Celestia. I was so focused on molding our citizens into a force that could successfully repel the lamiae… I forgot that they have feelings. They're not fighting machines—they're ponies. I think they could have used more happiness in their lives. Instead, too many of them let their unhappiness turn into anger." She looked over at the princess. "Right, Your Highness?"

Radiant Dawn nodded hesitantly. "But don't beat yourself up about it," she said. "I know your intentions were good. You just hadn't quite found the right balance."

"If I get out of here," Cloudkicker said, "I'm going to find that balance. Whatever the case, I don't want Eclipse running Pelopponysus. She'll destroy everypony's lives at this rate."

The other two agreed.

* * *

The next morning, Radiant Dawn awoke to the sound of hooves clopping briskly on stone. Sombra's crystals were still giving her an awful headache, and as she opened her eyes she noticed it was still dark outside. She felt like she had gotten a reasonable amount of sleep, so this confused her.

But she didn't have much time to think about it as Eclipse and some of her guards approached. "Good morning, everypony," the pegasus said with a sneer. "Rise and shine! Beautiful morning, isn't it?"

"What did you do," Cloudkicker breathed, narrowing her eyes.

"Just used my special talent to rearrange the weather a little," Eclipse said. She turned to Radiant Dawn and her smile turned greedy. "Guess what I finished."

Her guards opened the door to the alicorn's cell. Immediately, Radiant Dawn leaped for an opening between them, but they quickly overwhelmed her and held her fast.

"Don't do this, Eclipse!" Ironclad yelled, throwing himself against the bars of his cell.

"Oh, I'm not about to leave the two of you out of this," Eclipse said. She motioned to her guards, who dragged the two pegasi out of their cells. Ironclad thrashed like a stallion possessed, and it took five other ponies to hold him back from Pelopponysus's new leader.

She snickered at their futile attempts to escape. "Today… everypony will witness my ascension to power!" she said. "They'll see why they never should have underestimated me!"

"You're sick," Ironclad growled as they were taken out of the dungeon.

"I'm a visionary!" Eclipse said. "And those who can't understand that need to be put away so they don't ruin other ponies' freedom— _my_ freedom!"

When they got outside, Radiant Dawn saw why it was still dark out. The sun had been blocked out by a total eclipse. Only a thin, weak stream of light was able to get past, just enough to cast a dim twilight over the fortress courtyard.

There, pegasi had gathered just like yesterday, although this time, guards stood among them as if to make sure everypony would stay in line.

"Some 'freedom'," Ironglad grumbled. "What's wrong, Eclipse? Afraid not everypony here agrees with how you want to run things?"

"Unfortunately, there are some… holdouts," Eclipse said as she led them through the crowd, "but they'll be indoctrinated soon enough. They'll see why I'm right… or else."

But it was the machine in the middle of the courtyard that caught Radiant Dawn's attention and held it like a nightmare. It was a large, twisted device that coursed with dark magic, powered by crystals like the ones currently stuck in her horn. Everything about it felt wrong.

She tore her gaze away to look at the pegasi around her. Although some of them gave her looks of anger, like she deserved this, many of them looked afraid and sorry for her. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw Nebula and her foals. "Be strong," she told them. "Don't give up. Everything will be okay—" She was cut off by a guard giving her a rough shove to keep her moving.

They took her, Ironclad, and Cloudkicker onto the platform where the energy transfer machine stood, and Eclipse made a few last-minute checks on the device before turning to address the crowds. "The era of the common ponies has begun!" she said. "All those who resist are fools! Swear loyalty to me and my cause, or join these tyrants in the dungeons where they belong!"

Radiant Dawn frowned. "Don't listen to her!" she shouted. "Can't you see that she's not interested in your freedom at all? What kind of a pony thinks that it's okay to get what she wants by being horrible to anypony who disagrees with her?"

The audience began to talk among themselves, and many of the guards also looked unsure. Radiant Dawn took a deep breath and strained against the guards who were pulling her toward the machine. "Even if she really does believe that alicorns shouldn't rule Equestria, and Cloudkicker wasn't a good commander, there are better ways to express that than to go on a rampage against everypony she doesn't like! She's turned into a monster, and she's trying to enslave you all! But you haven't noticed because you've been so caught up in getting angry and—"

"Silence, alicorn scum!" Eclipse grabbed Radiant Dawn's horn in her hooves, and the wave of pain that washed over the princess made her crumple with a whinny.

"Ray!" Ironclad neighed, struggling to free himself from the guards' grip.

"Stop it!" a young voice said from the crowd. "Stop picking on her!" Cirrus hovered above everypony else, wings buzzing fiercely. "She's right!" Cirrus said. "You're a monster, Eclipse! I don't want you as my commander!"

"Neither do I!" Nebula said.

"Me either!" Private Stratosphere else said, and suddenly the crowd was full of ponies expressing their discontent.

Eclipse ground her teeth. "Silence!" she screamed. "Guards, arrest that filly! Lock her in the dungeons for life!"

"No!" Nebula reached for her foal as two guards swooped toward Cirrus.

Suddenly the clouds underneath her erupted in a plume of dark magic. An enormous lamia burst out of the floor of the courtyard, sending pegasi scattering. Her hood flared, and she swept out her talons and knocked the guards away from Cirrus with a hiss.

A moment later, more lamiae emerged from the clouds, scores of them, all wreathed in magic. They tackled the guards, lobbing magic at them, but seemed to be avoiding everypony else. The first female let out a blast of magic and soared toward the energy transfer machine.

Eclipse's eyes widened in horror. "No!" she howled, shoving Radiant Dawn up against her creation. "I've got to have more power!" She looked to the control panel.

A lamia tail slammed into her, sending her flying. Before she could right herself in the air, the female lamia whipped out her tail again and grabbed the pegasus by one leg, swinging her around and then wrapping around her middle, pinning her wings.

As Eclipse struggled to get free, the lamia brought her closer to her face. "I have had enough of you," Tanith snarled. "You've failed, Eclipssse." Her pupils contracted into slits.

"No… no!" Eclipse whinnied. She kicked out with her hind legs, but she could not tear her gaze away from Tanith's eyes. Stone began to creep up her body. "No!" she screamed one last time, and then the petrification was complete.

Tanith regarded her new statue for a just a moment before tossing it aside. The guards that still held Cloudkicker and Ironclad let out whinnies of alarm and staggered back.

That was all the two pegasi needed to break free. Cloudkicker lashed out with the powerful hind legs she was so renowned for, and Ironclad sent two ponies flying with just a single buck. The rest were easily swept away by Tanith's magic.

Then the lamia swooped down and picked up the alicorn. "Ray, I'm ssso sssorry," she said, hugging the princess. "I was almossst too late."

"It's okay," Radiant Dawn said. "I'm just so glad you came—I thought you'd abandoned me—"

"I never meant to," Tanith said, "and I'm sssorry I couldn't have told you that. But I knew I couldn't take on all those ponies by myself. Ssso… I followed your advice and went and found some friends." She grinned out at the other lamiae who were busy subduing Eclipse's followers.

"I don't believe it," Cloudkicker said. "I never thought I'd be so happy to see lamiae in my city… but thank you, Tanith."

"I wish I could have come sssooner," Tanith said, "but they did take sssome convincing. I was ssso nervousss… but I jussst remembered everything you taught me about happinessss, Radiant Dawn. I told them that they would be much better off getting along with these pegasssi." She paused. "The fact that political upheaval generatesss quite a bit of dessspair also helped sssway them."

Radiant Dawn gave her another hug. "I'm so happy to see you," she said. "Thank you so much. You were so brave, Tanith."

"You gave me courage," Tanith said. "Because you're my friend." Her eyes narrowed as she inspected the alicorn's horn. "Och, that'sss sssome nasssty magic. Hold on." She clamped one large hand around the horn. "Thisss might hurt a bit. Sssorry." She concentrated, and a pulse of magic flowed into her hand.

It did hurt, but only for a moment, and not nearly as badly as the migraine Radiant Dawn had been experiencing. Then it felt like a cork popping, and all of a sudden light streamed from her horn again and Radiant Dawn felt as though she could breathe deeper than before. She spread her wings and Tanith let her go.

Now that her magic could flow unchecked, Radiant Dawn beat her wings to gain altitude. She knew exactly what she wanted to do first. "Stay clear!" she shouted to her friends as she began to gather power into her horn. They realized what she was doing and leaped out of the way.

Arching her neck, the alicorn shot a beam of light magic at Eclipse's machine. It cut through the metal and wiring, and the crystals shattered and dissolved into nothing.

Then Radiant Dawn tossed her head and pointed her horn to the sky. Concentrating with all her might, she sent a stream of power toward the sun.

The dark shape blocking the celestial orb quivered, and then cracked, letting through shafts of light. Radiant Dawn poured all of her energy into her magic. The shadow over the sun burst asunder, and sunlight poured back down on Pelopponysus.

The lamiae recoiled at first, but it wasn't enough to stop them from subduing the last of Eclipse's loyalists, rounding up everypony who still supported her and petrifying anypony who resisted. Meanwhile, Cloudkicker had rallied those still faithful to her, explaining the situation to them so they would not attack the lamiae.

Radiant Dawn descended back to Ironclad and Tanith, breathing hard from the exertion of the spells she had performed. Ironclad wrapped her in a hug and she returned it.

"I'm so glad you're all right," he said. "I—I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to you."

"I'm sorry," Radiant Dawn said. "I wish there was more I could have done."

Tanith placed her talons on the alicorn's shoulder. "Don't talk like that," the lamia said. "Don't you sssee? Your ssstrength does not lie in yourssself alone—it alssso involves your ability to make allies and friends." She smiled. "Don't ever dissscount that."

"Thanks," Radiant Dawn said. "I hadn't thought of it like that… but you're right. Way to think positive, Tanith."

The lamia smirked. "Sssee, I'm capable of it if I try."

"Your Highnessss!" another hissing voice said. A second female lamia, her hood decorated in strings of beads, pulled herself toward the princess. "All of the rebels have been sssecured!"

Radiant Dawn nodded. "Thank you, ah—"

"Chieftain Inanna," the lamia said, "of the Sharpssscale Tribe."

"Well met, Chieftain," Cloudkicker said, alighting next to the princess. "Your assistance during this attempted coup has been invaluable. I cannot thank you enough for your help. How can we repay you?"

"We ssseeek alliance," Inanna said, extending her talons. "The former Queen Tanith tells me that you would be willing to do the sssame."

Cloudkicker hesitated for a moment, then put her hoof into Inanna's claws and shook her hand. "We would," she said. "On one condition—that you work together with us pegasi to learn how to be happier."

Inanna's amber eyes widened. "I'm… not sure I underssstand."

"I can help with that," Radiant Dawn said. "I'll send delegates from Daybreak to the lamiae and the pegasi. They'll help you learn what happiness is all about."

"Thank you, Your Highnessss," Inanna said. "That would be greatly appreciated." She lifted her eyes to Tanith. "And what will you do?" she asked the other lamia. "There is ample room in my tribe for a warrior as great as you."

Tanith's expression turned longing. Then she sighed and shook her head. "I appreciate the offer, Chieftain," she said, "but I think I ssstill have much to learn about happinessss, myssself. I don't feel quite ready to return to my people yet. I think there is much that Radiant Dawn has yet to teach me." She smiled down at the pony. "If she wantsss to, that is."

Radiant Dawn grinned back at her. "Of course," she said. "You're welcome to stay in Daybreak as long as you please." It did not escape her how odd it was to say that to a creature who, just a few short centuries ago, had been forcibly ejected from Daybreak. But that was the way things went, the alicorn thought. Everything turned to good in the end, just like Ironclad had said.

She turned to him and her face fell. The only thing putting a damper on this victory was having to say goodbye to him.

He caught her gaze and held it, and the look in his eyes said he understood. He took a deep breath and stepped toward his commander. "Cloudkicker, ma'am," he said, clearing his throat. "I've been thinking—perhaps it would be best if you sent somepony to Daybreak on an—extended visit, to gather intel on happiness. And, ah, I think it would be rather nice to go and see my ancestral homeland, so…"

His commander gave him a penetrating look, and then laughed. "Oh, you don't have to make up any excuses," she said. "Go to Daybreak, stay as long as you like." She winked at Radiant Dawn, who blushed.

Ironclad's ears perked. "Wait—seriously?" he stammered. Jaw agape, he turned back to the princess. "I mean—if it's all right with you, Ray, I'd really like to—" He narrowed his eyes and glanced aside before looking back to her, his expression earnest. "I don't ever want to see anything like this happen to you again," he said in all seriousness. "I want to protect you, Radiant Dawn. If—if you'll let me."

"I would love that," Radiant Dawn said, putting her face against his neck. All of her sadness was gone now. She felt complete.

He heaved a huge sigh of relief and returned the gesture. "Thank you," he said.

"We want to come, too!" Cirrus said, bounding up to them. Her brother and mother were not far behind.

"I'm sure you can come visit," her uncle said, "if that's all right with the princess."

"Absolutely," Radiant Dawn said with a smile. "You're welcome in Daybreak any time."

As the siblings began to celebrate, flitting around their mother and making plans for what they would do on their vacation, Ironclad chuckled and gave Radiant Dawn a warm smile. "Ray, I was wondering—you know that Grand Galloping Gala thing you told me about?" he asked. "Would—could you be my date to that?"

Radiant Dawn grinned. "I would love to—oh, wait, I only have two tickets."

"He can have mine," Tanith said. "I'm not sure I would enjoy it, anyway."

"Oh, but I want you to be there, too," Radiant Dawn said. "Maybe I can just write to Celestia and ask her for a third ticket. I'm sure she would understand."

"After everything you've been through," Tanith said, "you deserve a third ticket."

"And you also deserve a medal," Cloudkicker said, "for helping me get my nation back. And helping us ally with the lamiae."

"Well, that was mostly Tanith," Radiant Dawn said.

"Don't worry, she'll get a medal too," Cloudkicker said. "For now, though, let's get some real food in us."

"Yes, please," Ironclad said, stomping the clouds with one hoof. "As if I was going to stand for eating stale hay for the rest of my life." He shot a grin at Radiant Dawn.

She smiled back. The past few days had been nothing short of tumultuous, but he was right, she had fought her way through and come out the other side. And on top of everything else, she had gained some new friends along the way. She wasn't lonely anymore, she realized. And she couldn't be happier.


End file.
